Tomatoes lend an acidic punch to lots of things. That acidity lifts the flavor of very rich foods—in this case the starch of bread, the fat of olive oil and the creamy flavor of corn. The key to this salad is good tasting tomatoes and a variety of herbs. The little pops of flavor that the herbs add an often-indefinable essence to make this dish memorable.

• ½ loaf of good bread
• 1 cucumber, washed
• 1 zucchini or summer squash, washed
• 1 qt cherry tomatoes, mix of colors and shapes
• 2 ears of corn, kernelled
• ½ C mixed herbs (parsley, basil, tarragon, anise hyssop, lemon balm, thyme)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• sherry vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Toss the kernels of corn with olive oil, salt and a pinch of chili flakes (optional) and roast until slightly brown and sweet (15 min)
3. Cut slices of bread and then tear croutons that are slightly larger than bite size
4. Toss the bread with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake until crispy on the edges but still slightly soft in the center (10 min)
5. Dice the cucumbers into ¼” cubes
6. Shave the zucchini or summer squash with a mandolin or very sharp knife into thin ribbons
7. Cut the tomatoes in half and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and grind of pepper
8. Wash and dry the picked herbs
9. Toss all together with a healthy glug of olive oil and taste
10. If the tomatoes are very sweet, add a splash of sherry vinegar to brighten the whole lot up