Thai Corn Salad — The Fire Escape Dinner That Felt Like Us

The heat broke on Thursday, which felt like a personal favor from the weather gods after three weeks of Boston in full August misery. I walked home from the T without sweating through my shirt for the first time since July, and that small mercy put me in a good mood for the rest of the evening. Summer in this city is something I endure rather than enjoy. Give me October. Give me a sweater and a reason to turn on the oven.

Sean D. and I have been in the pre-planning planning phase of wedding preparation, which means we have made exactly two decisions: St. Brigid's for the venue, because there was never any other option, and June of next year because we both want a full year to figure things out. Every other decision is pending. I have a binder. Sean D. has a general attitude of supportive enthusiasm and zero specifics. We are going to be fine.

Work has been steady this week. I had a patient finish her last round of treatment Wednesday and walk off the floor to a hallway full of clapping nurses. We do this for every patient who finishes treatment. Those moments are why I do this job. The harder moments are also why I do this job, in a different way. Oncology nursing is a specific kind of love. You either have it or you don't.

For cooking this week Sean D. came over Saturday and we made cold sesame noodles because turning on the oven was out of the question. I adapted Maureen's philosophy of use what you have and don't apologize: peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, whatever vegetables I could find. We ate on the fire escape while the city made its Saturday-evening noise below us. It wasn't Southie comfort food, but it was us, and right now us is my favorite category of meal.

I keep looking at my ring on the T. Every single time. I'm twenty-five years old and I'm getting married. Some days that feels inevitable and right. Some days it feels like the most astonishing thing that has ever happened to a girl from East Broadway. Most days it feels like both at once.

The cold sesame noodles we made that Saturday were really more of a philosophy than a recipe — use what you have, don’t apologize, eat outside — and this Thai Corn Salad is the same spirit in a bowl. It has that same peanut-sesame dressing energy, it requires zero heat, and it’s the kind of thing that tastes better eaten somewhere slightly impractical, like a fire escape, while the city does its thing below you. Make it while someone you love stands nearby and hands you things.

Thai Corn Salad

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob (about 3 cups; or 3 cups thawed frozen corn)
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• For the dressing:
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1—2 teaspoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, to taste
• 2—3 tablespoons warm water, to thin

Instructions

1. Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, ginger, garlic, and sriracha until smooth. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing is pourable. Taste and adjust heat or acid as needed.
2. Prep the vegetables. If using fresh corn, stand each ear upright in a large bowl and slice the kernels off the cob. Add the shredded red cabbage, sliced bell pepper, and scallions to the bowl with the corn.
3. Toss. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well to coat everything evenly. Start with about two-thirds of the dressing and add more to taste.
4. Finish and serve. Top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. This salad holds well for up to a day; re-toss before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lime.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 230 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg