Cooking Seasonally - Blueberry-Corn Relish

We're nearing the end of what's been a great blueberry season here in Michigan. On my last few visits to the Farmer's Market, blueberries have been hard to find and more expensive. So I'm really glad I tried this recipe last week, when both corn and blueberries were in great form.

This is one of those magical recipes where a small number of simple ingredients combine to make something that's way more than the sum of the parts. Blueberries and corn might seem like an unlikely combination, but it's not only way better than you'd expect, it's really good!

Blueberry-Corn Relish
4 ears of corn, as freshly picked as possible
1 pint blueberries
a handful of basil
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the corn off the ears and blanch in boiling water for just 1 minute. Shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well.

Rinse blueberries and drain well.

Cut basil into a thin chiffonade. You want quite a bit of basil for this recipe, so you get a little bit in every bite.

Combine dressing ingredients and toss with the corn, blueberries and basil. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary. If possible, let stand for about a half hour before serving to marry the flavors.

I served this (along with a peach-tomato salsa) as a topping for baked tilapia. But it would be excellent as a simple summer side.

(Thanks to pontormo on eGullet for the recipe!)