raw zucchini, corn, chile, lime, mint, and more lime

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A SIDE (GREAT WITH GRILLED CHICKEN, STEAK, OR FISH) One summer day I rushed back like a maniac from an upstate meditation retreat to have a barbeque. Any calming effect that the three-day retreat had on me, gone, I just wanted to make something as fast as possible. We had this, and lots of tomatoes with a creamy salsa verde, and bread, and all the moodiness just melted away. Next time, instead of spending too much money on a weekend at Omega, maybe I’ll just swing by the farmers’ market and remember the transformative powers of corn and butter in the middle of the summer.

Uh-oh! We're unable to calculate nutrition for this recipe because some ingredients aren't recognized.

Step 1

PREP: Remove the husks from 4 to 6 ears sweet corn. Carefully hold each cob upright and slice the kernels off the cob. Sometimes I like to do this over a rimmed baking sheet because it kind of goes everywhere, but it’s really not so bad if you do it slowly and carefully.

Step 2

COOK: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it’s shimmering add the corn and 2 cloves sliced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is deep golden brown in spots, about 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter and ½ teaspoon crushed chiles and cook for 1 minute. Zest and juice 1 lime into the pan. Transfer from the pan to a plate and let cool a bit.

Step 3

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Trim one end off of 1 large zucchini on a sharp diagonal. Shave the zucchini quite thinly on a mandoline, about the thickness of two coins stacked together. Arrange the zucchini on a serving plate and sprinkle the warm corn on top. Scatter 1 cup (30 g) basil leaves on top, season with salt and pepper, and serve with 2 limes cut into wedges to squeeze on top.