Corn and Leek Soup

The local corn is so sweet these days, perfect time to make some soup! It is September after all.

With a sharp chef’s knife remove the kernels from four ears of corn and place the cobs in a pot with just enough to water to barely cover. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to a rapid simmer and let reduce for thirty minutes.

In a second pot sauté the raw kernels on medium heat with a couple of splashes of olive oil, a finely chopped leek, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally for about ten minutes before stirring in a minced garlic clove.

After a minute, ladle in enough of the corn cob water to just cover the corn then simmer for five minutes. Add some concentrated chicken or veggie stock and salt to taste.

To thicken, you could use a little heavy cream, or, just poke it a couple of times with a stick blender.  And for added flavor, a large spoonful of salsa verde works great!

Pasta with Ground Pork, Peas, and Mint

I’m still seeing snap peas at the farmer’s market, but frozen peas work fine too for this summery one pot recipe.

In a large pot, sauté a chopped sweet onion in a generous pour of olive oil. Once translucent, add four finely chopped garlic cloves, a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper, and a pound of ground pork or turkey…be sure to break it apart as best you can while it cooks. Stir frequently over medium low heat until the meat is nearly cooked through.

Next, pour in a cup of chicken or vegetable stock, preferably using the pasta water and some concentrated stock. Once it starts to simmer add 12 ounces of peas and a large handful of chopped fresh mint, leave it on the heat for another few minutes before adding a quarter cup of grated parmesan. Stir well, add the pound of cooked and drained pasta, salt to taste, and serve with some additional parmesan.

Happy August!

Miso Butter Corn

Presto, and just like that it’s grillin’ season!  One of my summer favorites has always been barbequed corn slathered in butter…until I discovered miso butter. Miso is a super easy way to amplify the flavor of any dish, even corn on the cob.

While your grill is preheating to medium-high, mash together half a stick of room temperature butter along with two tablespoons of white miso paste and set aside.

Peel four ears of corn and rub lightly with a little bit of olive oil and a dash of salt. Grill corn for approximately 10 minutes, turning a few times so it chars lightly on all sides. Set the cobs on a platter and immediately smear with the miso butter and serve.

Happy Summer!

Kale Pesto Shrimp Pasta

The kale I bought at the Farmer’s Market that was so tender I didn’t even have to blanch it. But if you are using supermarket kale, start by deveining and blanching it in salted water for a couple of minutes, then drain and squeeze out as much of the water as possible.

In the food processor, place one clove of garlic, a generous shake of kosher salt, and a small handful of pine nuts, chopped walnuts, or slivered almonds and pulse until finely minced. Add the kale, and with the machine running, slowly pour some extra virgin olive oil in until you achieve a smooth runny consistency.

Next, throw in quarter cup or more of grated parmesan and pulse a couple more times. If your pesto isn’t runny enough simply add some more olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Salt and pepper the peeled shrimp and cook over medium low heat until barely cooked though then set aside on a cold plate. Once your pasta is cooked and drained, combine in a large bowl 

Tahini, Lemon, Anchovy, Sauce

Welcome in May with this perfectly simple combination of ingredients that’s easy enough for a weeknight meal, and special enough for guests.

It was fantastic on roast asparagus, but I bet it would be just as awsome on broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale, cucumbers, and tomatoes. And with a bit of minced garlic, would quickly liven up any pork, chicken, or salmon entrée.

Best of all, it comes together in minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together a rounded tablespoon of tahini, the juice from half a lemon, three tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a rounded teaspoon of anchovy paste. Once smooth, whisk in salt and pepper to taste.

Also, if you want to thin it out for salad dressing just add a little bit of water.

Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata has been one of my go to recipes for years as I always have capers and lemons in the fridge, and as you will soon find out, tastes really good.

While not totally necessary, it’s a more delicate dish with thinner pieces of chicken so take the time to lightly pound your chicken breasts a bit. If you don’t have a pounder, a rolling pin or full wine bottle will work.

Once pounded, liberally salt and pepper both sides then dust each piece in flour. Add some olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium high heat, once hot, cook the chicken in batches for a couple minutes per side then set aside.

Once you’ve browned all of your chicken, turn down the heat, add some more oil to the pan and sauté a sliced shallot, three tablespoons of drained capers, and a teaspoon of lemon zest. After a couple of minutes, add a cup of chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half.

When you’re ready to eat, squeeze a half a lemon and a few slices of butter into your sauce and stir. Once the butter is melted, salt and pepper to taste and return the chicken to the pan. Give it a couple of minutes to ensure it’s cooked through then serve with plenty of sauce spooned over the top.

Salmon Tom Yum

Tom Yum soup is the most amazing balance of spicy, sour and lemongrass, and like chicken soup, lends itself to lots of variations depending on what you have in the fridge. Hence, I always make sure I have a jar of Maesri Tom Yum Paste on hand so when I get the craving a bowl is never more than 20 minutes away. Last time I checked I couldn’t find Tom Yum paste locally, but you can buy it at any Asian grocery store, and there are several great ones in Burlington.

Following the directions on the jar I start by stirring the Tom Yum paste into a pot of simmering water, about 1 and a half cups of water per person. This time around I added some cut up broccoli, half a coarsely chopped onion, some enoki mushrooms, and a teaspoon each of sugar and tomato paste. 

Let the vegetables cook for a few minutes before adding the cut up skinless salmon. Shrimp works great too! It shouldn’t take more than three or four minutes at a low simmer for the salmon to cook through. Before serving, stir in a couple tablespoons of fish sauce and the juice from a whole lime. Easy…and so gooooood!

Shrimp and Artichokes in a Lemon Butter Sauce

I prefer frozen artichokes hearts, but if the jarred marinated hearts are all that’s available just rinse and drain them in a strainer beforehand. Either way, cut the artichokes in half and set aside.

In a large heavy pan sauté a sliced shallot and several chopped garlic cloves in some olive oil over low heat. After a minute, add the artichoke hearts along with a half a teaspoon of lemon zest. Stir well and cook for another few minutes.

Pour in a cup of seafood, clam, or chicken stock, bring to a low simmer and let cook while you peel a pound of shrimp. Ten minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the shrimp, a couple tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and some chopped parsley.

Cover and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, a few minutes should do. To finish, slide the pan off of the heat, stir in two to three tablespoons of butter, then salt and pepper to taste.