How to make sweetcorn and black-eyed bean salad

Time is of the essence when it comes to sweetcorn. Like freshly picked peas, the sugars in corn convert to starch once an ear is picked.

It goes from sweet and tender to wooden and wooly in no time at all. So it pays to seek out a farm stand or farmer’s market to get the freshest corn on the cob you can.

Look for ears that with vibrant green husks and lustrous yellow tassels. If the husks look worn and the tassels tattered, then you’re better off with tinned or frozen.

When you pull the husks away from the ear, the kernels should look plump and full. If they’ve collapsed, it’s another sign that they’ve seen better days.

Once home, don’t delay – cook your sweet corn that same day if possible. Serve on the cob with creamy butter and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Or shave the kernels off for a salad – a good way to stretch your corn if you’ve only got a few ears.

Cooking time varies by how fresh sweetcorn is – the very freshest takes only 3-5 minutes to cook making it a super speedy dish to make, and another reason to search out the freshest you can find.

Sweetcorn and black eyed bean salad

Serves 4

2 ears of sweetcorn​
1 400g tin of black eyed beans, drained and rinsed
1 spring onion, chopped
1-2 limes
Small bunch of coriander, stems and leaves, chopped
1 tbsp oil
¼ tsp cumin seeds
Salt
Chilli pepper flakes (optional)

Remove the husks and soft tassels from the sweet corn. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt generously and add the corn.

Boil for 3-5 minutes if your corn is very fresh or up to 8 minutes if it’s older. You can remove an ear from the water, cut off a few kernels to test. It should be cooked but still crunchy.

Drain and refresh the cobs with cold water. When it’s cool enough to handle, stand a cob vertically on a chopping board.

Using a sharp knife, shave off the kernels. Repeat with the second cob. Place the kernels in a bowl with the drained black eyed beans.

Zest one of the limes and then add the juice and the oil. Stir in the cumin seeds and season with salt. Taste – you might want to add more lime juice. It should taste fresh and vibrant.

Stir in the spring onions and the coriander. Taste again and add more salt if needed. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chilli pepper flakes, if using.

@Juliapleonard