Rice and Corn Salad
A perfect dish to bring to a backyard barbecue. Serves 8.
(Adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure)

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium zucchini, cut in 1-inch dice
salt to taste
juice of 2 lemons
4 medium ears fresh sweet corn (2 cups kernels)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 cups cooked white rice
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced roasted Anaheim chiles
1/2 cup sliced scallions

Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan. Add the zucchini, lightly salted, and sauté it over high heat, tossing and stirring constantly, until it is flecked with brown spots--about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove it from the heat, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice over it, and toss again.

Plunge the shucked corn into boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then remove it and let it cool slightly before slicing the kernels off with a sharp knife. Measure out 2 cups. (You may choose to roast the corn at this point if time permits: Place corn on baking sheet with a little olive oil; roast in 400 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes.)

Heat the cumin seeds in a little skillet, stirring constantly, until they release a toasty aroma, then crush them in a mortar or spice grinder. (A coffee grinder devoted to this purpose works well.)

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, corn, cumin seeds, rice, cilantro, diced red pepper, diced chiles, and scallions. Toss everything together with the remaining olive oil, and as much more lemon juice and salt as you like. Let the salad chill in the refrigerator, in a covered bowl, for about an hour. (This also tastes good served at room temperature.)