End-of-Summer Corn Chowder

With less than 4 hours of summer left, I am thinking "End-Of-Summer Corn Chowder" might be a bit of a stretch. Apparently I am holding on tight until the bitter end. Really, I'm not really a soup in the summer kind of gal. I'll fall for a watermelon gazpacho, a chilled cucumber soup or even the occasional light tomato number. But a chunky corn chowder, thickened with hearty potatoes and cheddar cheese—this screams fleece sweats and cozy socks. So ignore the calendars, find yourself a few ears of fresh corn and cut the chill in the air with a warm bowl. In your comfy socks, of course.

End-of-Summer Corn Chowder
serves 4

2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 c diced red potatoes
5 c vegetable broth
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 t salt
kernels from 5 ears fresh corn
1 c grated cheddar cheese
pepper, to taste
2 scallions, chopped
 
In a large sauce, pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, and cook 10 minutes, until beginning to brown. Stir in cayenne and potatoes, and cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Add vegetable broth, sour cream and salt, stirring well. Cook 20 minutes. With a potato masher, lightly mash about half the potatoes, to create a thicker broth. Cook an additional 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in corn and cheddar, and cook 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with scallions and additional sour cream, if desired.

Penne with Corn & Brown Butter

I was overjoyed to hear from Rochelle last week, asking me to collaborate with the Harvard Farmer’s Market again this year, in providing weekly recipes for the Market Basket column in the Harvard Post. The paper was hoping to begin publishing right away, and luckily I had a particular recipe in mind. It seems my inability to walk past a display of corn without putting armfuls in my basket has come in handy after all. Just yesterday I left the market with nine ears of corn and one red face, after trying to shove them all in a single bag, only to have the bag break and the nine ears to roll in each and every direction on the floor of the store. Of course, if you know me at all, you are probably suppressing a chuckle and thinking, ya, that sounds about right.

Clumsiness aside, if you have ever doubted the combination of corn and pasta, you will be sweetly rewarded here (well, with a touch of salt). And browning the butter? Apparently it is “Erin-proof”. Now there is nothing to stop me from stocking up on corn with reckless abandon. With an extra bag, of course.

Penne with Corn & Brown Butter
serves 4

2 1/2 c uncooked penne
1 stick butter, cut into 1” slices
3 small leeks, (white and light green parts only), cut into thin slices
4 ears corn, husks and silk discarded, kernels cut off
1 T fresh oregano leaves
1/2 t salt
Parmesan cheese, to taste
pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne, and cook 8-10 minutes, until desired tenderness. Drain, rinse with warm water, and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, add butter over medium heat. Watch carefully, as it melts, then foams and turns a clear golden color, about 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently, as tiny brown specs appear on the bottom, and butter turns brown and smells nutty, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl immediately, to prevent burning.

Return pan to heat and add leeks. Sauté 5-7 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add corn kernels, oregano and salt, and cook 2-3 minutes, until corn is tender. In a large serving dish, combine corn and leeks, with penne and brown butter. Stir well, and season to taste with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Mexican Tortilla Salad

I feel like I’ve gone a bit off track in the past few months with my eating habits. Usually, I eat quite healthy during the week and stay away from sugars and flours. However, I have gone through more sugar and flour in the past few months than I have in the past few years. Ugh. In part it is due to the change of seasons and my craving for comfort food, and in part it is due to my wanting to add variety to the recipes posted here and work on my kitchen skills. But, I can confidently say that I am no longer afraid of dough! So let’s just consider it is success.

I do feel the need to veer myself back on track, especially as the holidays approach and I will confronted with amazingly delicious, but probably not so healthy foods at every turn. I believe in indulgence. But I also believe in balance. Twice a week, I liked to prepare a healthy, but hearty, salad. This tortilla salad is the kind of meal that leaves you full and satisfied. But in a good kind of way. I can see it coming into heavy rotation in the coming months.

Mexican Tortilla Salad
serves 4

salad
8 c red lettuce
15.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c frozen corn kernels, thawed to room temperature
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed and sliced
2 tortillas, cut into thin slices and toasted (or tortilla chips)
1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves
prepared salsa, to taste

dressing
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
1 T honey or agave nectar
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1 t salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds discarded, minced

Arrange lettuce, divided among four serving plates. Top each plate with black beans, corn, red pepper, onion, avocado, tortillas, cilantro and salsa. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle dressing over plated salad, to taste. Serve immediately.