Try salads that can be served cold, travel well

Planning ahead, in this case, giving you some ideas for summer salads, can't be a bad thing. More and more seasonal produce is making its way to local shelves, and being ready to take advantage of the good stuff is what this column is all about.

I've included a few salad recipes below that should help make the summer more enjoyable. As I look at the list of items, I notice that all can be served cold and all will travel well. So, if Hartwood or some other outdoor venue is in your plans for the summer, these ideas might help. I hope they do.

One of the recipes, a rather good corn pudding served cold, will take more than an hour to bake, but, only a few minutes to prepare.

On the subject of corn on the cob: To remove the kernels from the cob, first clean the ear by removing the husk and all of the silk. The two easiest methods I know of to remove the kernels involves using either a doughnut-like gadget which is run down the ear, (available at most housewares departments) or by simply running a sharp knife down the ear. The most difficult part about both methods is containing all of the kernels as they come off of the cob!

On the average, expect to get about ¾ to 1 cup of kernels from an ear of corn. Adding extra corn to most recipes will not hurt the product as it is not as critical of an ingredient as, say, eggs or baking powder, so don't worry about using exact amounts. And, if you're a firm believer in the age old axiom that fresh corn is to be enjoyed on the cob, and all other corn comes from the store, remember, frozen corn is an excellent quality substitute.

Fresh Tomatoes with Basil and Balsamic Vinegar

• 4 medium to large fresh tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves washed, dried and roughly chopped
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• Coarse ground or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter and sprinkle with the basil and salt and pepper. Pour over with the vinegar and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Broccoli, Cheddar, Red Onion and Tomato Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing

For the salad:

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 medium red onion cut into julienne strips
• 12 cherry tomatoes each cut in half
• ½ cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

For the dressing:

• 1 medium yellow onion
• {1/3} cup sugar
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 cup (3 tablespoons) poppy seeds

To prepare the salad: Blanch the broccoli in rapidly boiling water until just tender and then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry. When dry, toss with all of the other vegetables and the cheese.

To make the dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in the bowl of a blender and process until smooth.

Toss the dressing with the salad ingredients, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve chilled.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Corn, Mixed Pepper and Black Beans ala Mexican

• Butter, margarine or oil for sauteeing
• 3 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 each, red, green and orange pepper, cut into small dice
• ½ cup cooked black beans
• 1 medium onion cut into small dice
• Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

Melt the fat of choice in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet and add all the ingredients. Saute until the corn, onion and peppers are cooked, for about 7 minutes over medium high heat. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Honey Mustard Cole Slaw

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
• 5 to 6 cups medium shred green cabbage
• 5 to 6 cups medium shred red cabbage

To make the dressing, mix together all of the ingredients except for the cabbages. Pour the dressing over the cabbages and combine well. Allow to chill for about 2 hours before serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Corn Pudding

• 4 cups corn kernels, about 8 ears
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 seeded and chopped tomato
• 3 scallions, chopped
• ¼ pound Cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter

Combine all of the ingredients except the milk and butter in a large bowl and stir well to incorporate.

Scald the milk in a saucepan over moderate heat, and while the milk is still hot, add the butter and allow it to melt.

Pour the milk into the other ingredients, stir, and pour the complete mixture into a buttered, oven-proof baking dish. Set the baking dish in a larger pan filled with enough water so that when the baking dish is placed in it, water comes up to half the height of the baking dish.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the pudding is firm.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.