Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 sweet corn, fresh ears, husked
- 200 g green beans, whole pods
- 1 green bell pepper, whole
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 1 shallot, whole
- 2 garlic, whole cloves
Cooking Medium and Seasonings
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, liquid
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 g fresh basil, fresh bunch
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 162 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Stand each husked ear of sweet corn upright on the cutting board and slice downward with the chef's knife to remove the kernels, collecting them into the prep bowl.
Trim the stem ends from the green beans with the chef's knife on the cutting board and chop the beans crosswise into 2.5 cm pieces.
Halve, stem, and seed the green bell pepper on the cutting board, then dice the flesh into uniform 1 cm pieces using the chef's knife.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise on the cutting board using the chef's knife.
Set the large skillet over medium-high heat at approximately 190°C (375°F), pour in the extra virgin olive oil, and heat for 2 minutes until shimmering.
Add the chopped green beans and diced green bell pepper to the large skillet and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring continuously with the silicone spatula.
Add the minced shallot and sliced garlic to the large skillet and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly with the silicone spatula.
Add the sweet corn kernels, fine sea salt, and black pepper to the large skillet and sauté for 2 minutes, tossing well with the silicone spatula.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the large skillet and fold them gently into the vegetables with the silicone spatula for 2 minutes just until warmed through.
Remove the large skillet completely from the heat burner and allow the medley to rest undisturbed for 5 minutes until pan temperature cools to 65°C (149°F).
Scatter the fresh basil leaves and drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the skillet contents, tossing gently with the silicone spatula to combine.
Chef's Notes
- Uniform knife cuts are essential to this dish: dicing the green pepper to 1 cm mirrors the dimension of the corn kernels and green bean cuts, ensuring balanced texture in every forkful.
- Do not peel the corn cobs completely bare with heavy blade pressure; cutting two-thirds into the kernel depth captures maximum sweetness while avoiding tough, fibrous cob scrapings.
- Gentle heat application preserves the burst-in-the-mouth quality of fresh cherry tomatoes. Cook them only until heated through so their natural pectin remains intact rather than melting into a tomato sauce.
- Acid balance is achieved by finishing with raw lemon juice off the flame. Citric acid brightens the deep natural sugars of caramelized corn and sweet bell peppers without dulling the green chlorophyll.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool leftovers promptly and store in an airtight container at 4°C (40°F) or below. Do not leave food at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated leftovers in a skillet over medium heat until steaming hot throughout to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F), or microwave on high in 45-second intervals, stirring between bursts until uniformly heated to 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Vegetables release excess liquid and steam rather than sautéing
Cause: The skillet was not preheated adequately, or the pan was too small causing overcrowding
Fix: Raise burner heat to high for 60 seconds and tip the skillet to spoon out pooled liquids, then proceed immediately
Prevention: Use a wide skillet of at least 28 cm diameter and ensure the oil is shimmering hot before adding vegetables
Fresh basil turns dark brown or black within seconds of incorporation
Cause: Basil was folded into the skillet while it was still resting on active high heat
Fix: Pick out the blackened basil leaves with tongs and gently fold in freshly sliced basil leaves just before serving
Prevention: Always remove the skillet from the heat source and wait for sizzling to stop completely before adding delicate herbs
Green beans remain tough and fibrous while tomatoes and corn are fully cooked
Cause: Beans were cut into pieces larger than 2.5 cm or did not receive sufficient initial cook time
Fix: Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and add 15 ml of water, steaming over medium heat for 90 seconds
Prevention: Cut beans uniformly to 2.5 cm and verify they sauté for the full recommended 3 minutes prior to adding delicate ingredients
Cultural Context
This vibrant vegetable medley celebrates the peak midsummer harvest common across American farm-to-table and Southern garden traditions, where sweet corn, snap beans, and nightshades ripen concurrently. Derived from longstanding regional succotash and skillet sauté heritage, this lighter preparation omits heavy pork fats and legumes in favor of fruity olive oil, bright citrus, and aromatic sweet basil.
