Tag Archives: corn

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad.

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Jey| 2 Comments

On Monday, we had dinner over at our friends’ house.  And while we enjoyed grilled steak, corn and pasta salad, the Fruitaholic would have nothing to do with any of it, instead requesting the stick of butter that was on the table for the corn (who does this kid think he is, Paula Deen?  For the record, we ended up making him PB&J).  I posted something similar as my status on Facebook, when a friend asked me if I meant corn and pasta salad or corn pasta salad.  And ever since that moment, I could not get the idea of pasta salad with corn out of my head.

This one hit the spot.  While making the chipotle sauce, I was afraid it was going to be too spicy (my mouth was on fire after just a taste!) but it had just the right amount of heat.  And the sweetness of the summer corn went incredibly well against the smoky chipotles.  It came together really easily and required minimal cooking on a super hot day.

On hot days, we usually either order takeout or I’ll send the Husby out to do the dirty work and man the grill.   I quickly dry-roasted the corn and pan fried the chicken.  You could just as easily grill them so you don’t have to turn on the stove.

Print
Chipotle Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad.

Ingredients

  • 1 Lb. Curly Shaped Pasta (I used Mafalda), cooked and drizzled with olive oil to prevent sticking
  • 3 Ears Fresh Corn, husks and silk removed, kernels cut off
  • 1/2 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
  • 3 Chicken Thighs, fat trimmed
  • 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
  • 2 Cups Fresh Cilantro, roughly stemmed
  • 1 7 oz. Can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, pureed (You will use 2 Tbsp. of the Chipotle puree. Freeze the remainder for later use)
  • 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved

Instructions

Set a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the corn kernels and onion. Stir after 2 minutes then cook another two minutes. Stir again and cook an additional minute. Do not overcook. Corn will be browned in spots. Remove the corn-onion mixture from the skillet and set aside.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the chicken. Cook 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Allow to cool a bit before shredding (I use my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).

Combine cilantro, mayo and chipotle puree in a food processor. Start with 1 Tbsp of the puree and work your way up to your desired heat level. Pulse until well combined.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, shredded chicken, corn-onion mixture and the dressing until well mixed. Top with the cherry tomato halves before serving.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Source -

Adapted from The Farm Chicks

http://www.thejeyofcooking.com/chipotle-chicken-and-corn-pasta-salad/

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Sweet Corn Ice Cream.

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Jey| 5 Comments

Now don’t click away, just hear me out… “Sweet CORN Ice Cream?,” you might be saying?  Who in their right mind would eat ice cream with vegetables in it?!  Well, this moi, for one.

I love anything corny, jokes included.  I can’t go to a movie without getting popcorn.  I’ll always choose roasted corn over fried Twinkies at a street fair.  I’ve even been known to buy bags of Jelly Bellys in only the buttered popcorn flavor despite the Husby’s tauntings.

With the last few days of Summer upon us, I took the opportunity to preserve one of my favorite Summer treats and I’m so glad that I did.  While it may sound weird, sweet corn is the perfect ice cream flavor.  It’s creamy and buttery, a little bit salty but mostly sweet.  Seriously refreshing.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream – adapted from The Kitchn

  • 1 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 1/2 Cups Milk (I used whole milk)
  • 3 Tbsp. Salted Butter
  • 2 Ears Sweet Corn, kernels removed from the cobs, cobs reserved
  • 6 Egg Yolks
  • 1/3 Cup plus 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • Coarse Kosher Salt, for serving, if desired

Combine the cream, milk, butter, and corn cobs in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook for 10 minutes then remove corn cobs and discard.

Whisk together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl until the mixture becomes pale yellow in color.  Whisk in a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to temper the yolks, then add the yolk mixture to the saucepan and stir over low heat for 1 minute, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat.

Bring 1/2 cup water, corn kernels and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the kernels are plump and soft, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add the corn mixture to the cream mixture and allow to cool.  Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

When cold, process and freeze according to ice cream maker’s instructions.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , ,

Summer Vegetable Pie and Sweet Mustard Vinaigrette.

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Jey| 5 Comments

I have a confession to make:  I am a CSA dropout.

For the past few weeks, I’d been placing orders with an organic produce delivery service.  I loved the idea of having local produce delivered straight to my doorstep without having to go to the store (because let’s face it, lack of motivation usually gets the best of me).  I was excited to discover new produce that I may not have been familiar with.  I was happy to be supporting local farms and farmers and reducing my carbon footprint.  What’s not to like, right?

As it turns out, at least half of the produce in my box was not local.  Some of it even came from as far as Mexico.  Some of the fruit we received began to turn within a couple of days.  A lot of the time, we couldn’t get through the vegetables before they started to go too.  And I really, truly missed packing the Fruitaholic into the stroller and spending the morning at one of our local farmer’s markets.  So when Lindsey of Our Share of the Harvest announced that this month’s What’s Baking theme would be “Bake Local,” I did just that.

We picked out fresh zucchini from a farm out of Indiana, carrots and spinach from Michigan, and tomatoes and sweet corn from downstate.  And the basil was just about as local as I could get: my very own backyard.  I took our bounty home in my reusable tote and created a dish that was just perfect for sitting outside on our deck and enjoying our summer evening.

Summer Vegetable Pie – adapted from Real Simple

  • 3 Zucchini, grated
  • 4 Carrots, grated
  • 1 Tbsp. Salt
  • 1 Ear of Corn, kernels removed
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 Cup Flour
  • 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I used Cabot Extra Sharp)
  • 6 Egg Whites
  • 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan, grated
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tomato, sliced thin
  • Basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

Grate the zucchini and carrots and sprinkle with the 1 Tbsp. salt in order to draw out the moisture.  There are a few methods that you can use.  You can line a plate with paper towels and squeeze out the moisture, press out the moisture through a fine mesh sieve/colander, or give it a few spins through a salad spinner.  I was able to draw out more than a cup of liquid.

Return the zucchini and carrots to a large bowl and combine with remaining ingredients except for the tomatoes.

Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate that has been coated with cooking spray.  Top with sliced tomatoes and additional parmesan, if desired.  Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.  Cool 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Sweet Mustard Vinaigrette – adapted from Reluctant Gourmet

  • 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
  • 5 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • Dried Herbs of your choice – ~2 Tbsp. (I used Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle)

Combine garlic, vinegar, mustard and agave nectar in a small bowl.  Whisk in oil.  Add spices, to taste.  Keep refrigerated when not in use.

Place a bed of spinach on a plate and dress with the vinaigrette.  Top with a slice of Summer Vegetable Pie.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe Swap: Grilled Corn with Garlic Butter, Lime and Parmesan.

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Jey| Leave a comment

The theme for this week’s recipe swap was “something you’d bring to a barbeque.”  Grilled corn is one of my favorite summertime treats so I was super excited when this Bobby Flay recipe showed up in my inbox, courtesy of MRSW1219 of Tyler’s Taste Tests.

After a weekend of torrential rain, we invited our friends, PSquared, over for dinner once the weather cleared.  We were graced with a perfect evening, and the corn was the star of the show.  Even the kiddos gobbled it up, theirs (ok, maybe ours too) with extra cheese, of course.

Since it’s not quite corn season, the corn in the market didn’t look too great so I was forced to buy the pre-cut and de-husked corn and grilled them in foil packets. The original recipe also called for cotija cheese, which the grocery store did not carry.  We really liked it with the parmesan, but I’ll remain on the search for the cotija since I’m sure we’ll be making this all summer long.  I’d also like to try it with chipotle butter.  YUM!

Grilled Corn with Garlic Butter, Lime and Parmesan – slightly adapted from Food Network

  • 8 Ears of Corn, preferably in the husks
  • 1 Stick Unsalted Butter, slightly softened
  • 6 Cloves Garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • Habañero Flavored Tabasco, to your preferred level of spiciness
  • 1/4 Bunch Fresh Chives, chopped, 2 Tbsp reserved
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 2 Limes, cut into quarters
  • 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan

Preheat grill to medium.  Without removing, peel back the husks of the corn, remove the silks, and recover the corn with the husks.  Soak the corn in a large bowl of water for 30 minutes.  Remove corn from the water and grill, covered, 15 to 20 minutes.  If not using corn in the husk, soak as directed above, then wrap each ear in foil before placing on the grill.

In the meantime, combine butter, garlic, habañero Tabasco, chives, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Once corn is done, peel back the husks and spread the garlic butter liberally over the the cobs.  Spoon the cheese onto the corn and squeeze the limes over the tops.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. chopped chives.



→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , ,