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!