RECIPE: Easy Summer Salad with Tomatoes, Corn, Mint

Combine 1 big heirloom tomato sliced, raw corn sliced from the cob, crumbled Feta cheese, diced Mint, sprinkled with an aromatic nutty olive oil.  So delicious and so simple!

RECIPE: Butter Fried Corn

What to do with only two ears of corn?  Fry it as a delicious side dish!

Cut corn kernels off of ears.  Heat a pan on medium high heat and add plenty of butter.  After the butter bubbles in the pan, add the corn kernels.  Brown them, add salt and pepper, and try not to eat them all before dinner!

RECIPE: Succotash with Parsley Drizzle

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ears corn, or 2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans, thawed

1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) quartered lengthwise and sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Parsley Drizzle:

1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons water, as needed to slacken

Directions

If using ears of corn, cut the kernels off and set aside. Discard the cobs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the corn, lima beans, zucchini, and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Stir the vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve. Garnish with Parsley Drizzle.

Parsley Drizzle: Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

RECIPE: Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 medium bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large leeks, white and palest green parts only, chopped and well rinsed
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups cooked corn kernels
• 4 cups diced zucchini
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more, to taste
• Crumbled sweet Italian sausage (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the peppers in half; remove the seeds. 
3. Arrange peppers in glass pyrex casserole dishes.
4. Heat the oil with two tablespoons of water in a large skillet. Add the leeks and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, covered, lifting the lid to stir occasionally, until the leeks are tender.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, another 5 minutes.
6. Distribute the stuffing among the peppers. Top each with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.until the peppers are tender but not collapsed. Keep warm until ready to serve.

RECIPE: Summer Farro Salad

 3 tbsp olive oil, + more to taste

10 oz farro

2 small zucchini or squash, sliced into 1/2" half moons

1/2 lb green beans, chopped into 1" pieces

2 ears of corn

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp fresh oregano

1/4 cup roughly chopped or torn basil leaves

Fresh mozzarella in chunks or small balls

Chili flakes to taste

Salt + pepper to taste

1. Cook the farro per instructions. Set aside.

2. Boil unsalted water in a large pot. Once boiling, add ears of corn and cover. Cook for ~10 minutes, drain, and let cool enough for handling.

3. While corn is boiling, mince garlic.

4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook til fragrant.

5. Add green beans and season with salt/pepper.  Cook for ~1-2  minutes.

6. Add zucchini and squash and cook, stirring frequently, for ~ 6 minutes or until done but not mushy.

7. Season with fresh oregano and remove from heat.

8. Add farro to a large bowl. Lightly cover with olive oil, roughly 1 - 2 tbsp.

9. Cut corn off cob. Add to farro.

10. Add zucchini, squash, green beans, basil and mozzarella.

11. Season with chili flakes and serve!

*Serving suggestions: This dish works cool or heated. I prefer it slightly warm. To make it a filling meal, top with a fried egg.

RECIPE: Zucchini and Fresh Corn Farmers' Market Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

This no-cook, raw salad gets its spunk from a garlicky-lemon basil vinaigrette and chunks of goat cheese that lightly marinate the thin squash peels and freshly shucked corn kernels.

SERVES 2

Ingredients

1 small or medium zucchini

1 small or medium yellow squash

1 ear of corn, shucked and cleaned, with the kernels cut off the cob

1 ounce goat cheese

Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

A few leaves of fresh torn basil

*optional: A few tablespoons of toasted pine nuts

For the Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

½ cup good olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove minced fresh garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Salad

With a wide vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini and squash lengthwise into long ribbons (discarding the middle — you'll know when you get to it, because the squash will get too thin and watery.) Place the ribbons in a good sized bowl or plate, alternating so you can see equal amounts of green and yellow. Add the corn kernels and about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss. Add salt, freshly ground pepper and chili flakes to taste. Add the goat cheese and garnish with fresh torn basil.

For the Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Add all of the ingredients to a small jar with a lid and shake well. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Note: You'll have vinaigrette left over to use on other salads, or make this one again!

RECIPE: CSA Summer Salad

Greens of your choosing. A mix of leaf lettuce and arugula or mixed greens works well.

2 golden beets

1 cucumber

1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin

1 ear of corn, cut from the cob and sautéed in pan with butter or olive oil

Goat or feta cheese (optional)

Seeds or nuts of your choosing (optional)

Salt and Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon or Red Wine Vinegar

Cut kernels from 1 ear of boiled corn, sautée in pan, preferably cast iron, with butter or olive oil until beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.

If using nuts or seeds, roast in a pan on low heat until fragrant and beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.

Rinse and dry greens and cut to desired size.

Rinse beets, cut into quarters and thinly slice.

Cut cucumber into quarters and thinly slice.

Mix greens, beets, cucumbers and red onion. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and acid to taste. Add corn, nuts and goat cheese and mix gently until combined.

Summer Succotash

Summer Succotash

Ingredients

Tomatoes, about 1 lb diced or cut in half and quarters if using smaller varieties - Assorted varieties and colors make the most visually pleasing results

1-2 large Cucumbers, cut in quarters and sliced

1-2 ears of Corn, husked and kernels cut from cob

1 small Red Onion, thinly sliced

Chopped Cilantro, if you do not like

cilantro you can use parsley

Lime Juice

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper, optional

Method

1. Prepare vegetables. To cut corn

from cob, place a small bowl

upside down inside of a larger

bowl. Stand the corn up on the

small bowl and cut from top

down to remove kernels from

corn.

2. Mix tomatoes, cucumbers, corn,

red onion and herbs together

gently.

3. Season with salt, pepper and

crushed red pepper, if desired.

4. Dress with olive oil and lime

juice.

5. Serve with grilled shrimp or

fish.

Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil

Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil

Fine sea salt

12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)

2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)

½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste

⅓ cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

 Fresh lemon juice, as needed

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat; add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.
3. Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.

Corn-and-Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Corn-and-Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

3 ears of corn, shucked

1 pound small zucchini or summer squash, halved lengthwise

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

1/2 pound orzo

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon guajillo or ancho chile powder

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cilantro

2 ounces fresh goat cheese, frozen

Instructions

Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the corn and zucchini with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat until charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes for the zucchini and 15 minutes for the corn. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Cut 
the kernels off the corncobs and coarsely chop the zucchini. Transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and spread the orzo out on a baking sheet; pat dry with paper towels

In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lime juice, shallot, chile powder and 1/2 cup of the cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Add the orzo, corn, zucchini and the remaining chopped cilantro and mix well. Transfer to a platter. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the frozen goat cheese all over the top and serve.

Spring Succotash

Spring Succotash

Ingredients

§                       4-5 tablespoons olive oil

§                       2 cups shucked and shelled fava beans* (can substitute fresh or frozen lima beans or peas)

§                       2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)

§                       2 diced carrots

§                       2-3 chopped spring onions

§                       2 tablespoons chopped mint or parsley

§                       Juice of a lemon

§                       Salt to taste

* To get 2 cups of shelled fava beans, start with 3 lbs of whole fava beans. Working over a large bowl, remove the outer shell by bending a pod near one of the beans, cracking the pod and then squeezing the bean with your fingers to shoot it into the bowl. Once you have filled your bowl, take the beans and boil them in salted water for 5 minutes. Shock them in ice water to preserve their bright green color. Then peel off the outer peel of the bean.

Method

1 Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan – large enough to hold all of the vegetables and the ham. Add the ham and the carrots and sauté, stirring from time to time, until the ham begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

2 Add the corn and spring onions and toss to combine. Saute for another 2 minutes.

3 Add the fava beans, which already have been blanched, and cook for one more minute. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, and taste for salt. You might not need any because the ham is salty. Cover the pot and let it sit for 2 minutes, to steam.

Toss in the mint and serve hot or at room temperature.

RECIPE: Red Pesto

Difficulty Level: EASY

Ingredients:

1 pound dried linguine fini or other thin CSA pasta

4 ripe plum tomatoes
15 basil leaves
1 tablespoon celery leaves
1 tablespoon parsley leaves, plus more for serving
1 clove garlic
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup sliced (or whole) almonds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 ears fresh corn
Parmesan, for serving (optional) or CSA hard cheese

1.Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the instructions on the package. Plunge into an ice bath, drain, and let cool.

2.Bring another pot of water to boil. Drop the tomatoes in for about 1 minute, until their skins split. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Once cool, peel the skins and remove the seeds.

3.In a food processor or blender, combine the peeled tomatoes, basil, celery leaves, parsley, salt, garlic, almonds, pepper, and olive oil. Process until smooth.

4.Shuck the corn and slice the kernels off of the cob. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce and the raw corn. Serve topped with chopped parsley or grated Parmesan.

RECIPE: Summer Succotash

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

One onion, diced

2-3 zucchini, diced
2-3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed*
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil, and when hot, add onions.  Cook until softened, giving it a stir or two.  Add the zucchini and cook until softened and lightly browned on the bottom, give everything a good stir and add the corn.  Cook for just a few minutes more, about 5 or so, until the corn is looking bright and plump.  Take the pan off the heat, add salt and pepper to taste.

*Corn Tips

I find that storing corn in the crisper drawer of the fridge, husks intact, is the best way to prevent them from drying out.  They can be easily husked by holding them in one hand, silky top pointing away from you.  Grab ahold of the silk with your free hand and pull it towards you.  Repeat all the way around until all the wrapper leaves are bunched around the stem end and bend everything away from you until it all snaps cleanly off.  Lingering corn silk can be simply washed or brushed off.

To cut the kernels from the cob, hold the corn over a large bowl in the palm of one hand with the pointy tip facing away from you.  With a large, sharp, knife, position it against the kernels at the tip, perpendicular to the cob.  Then, tilt the tip of the knife upward until the blade is at a 45 degree angle facing away from you.  Start to pull the knife towards your body slowly, cutting off the kernels as you run the blade along the cob.  If your knife is sharp and at an angle like this, it should cut through the base of the kernels easily, separating them from the cob.  If the knife seems to get stuck, gently jiggle it a bit until it starts moving again.  DO NOT try to force it through at the risk of the knife slipping. 

I find that this is the fastest way to remove corn from the cob.  If you know that you won't be able to get to all the week's corn, it is a good idea to cut the kernels off the cob and freeze them in ziplock bags.  They freeze beautifully and can be used months later for a little taste of summer.

RECIPE: Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips (Rajas)

Total Time: 45 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (or 2 cups)

Difficulty Level: Easy

 
Ingredients:

6 fresh poblano chiles

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

2 ears corn, kernels removed

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche

1/2 cup, shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Char the poblano chiles directly over the gas flame on the stove or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a plastic bag and let steam for about 10 minutes. 

Add the oil to a heavy large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside. 

Peel and seed the chiles. Cut the chiles into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips (rajas) and add the strips to the onion and corn mixture and saute until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and Mexican crema and cook until bubbling, about for 8 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season the rajas with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

RECIPE: Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

Difficulty level: Intermediate 

Ingredients:

1 Onion, diced
2 medium summer squash, diced 
Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn
3 cups chicken stock
1 tbs butter
3 teaspoons fresh herbs (such as thyme or parsley)

1.     Heat butter in a large sauce pan

2.     Add diced onions and sauté until soft

3.     Add diced squash and herbs and cook until slightly softened (about 5 minutes)

4.     Add stock and bring to simmer

5.     Add half the corn and simmer all the veggies for another 5 minutes until the squash is soft and mostly translucent and the corn is tender

6.     Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth

7.     Once blended, return the soup to the pot and add the rest of the corn

8.     Bring the soup to a simmer and cook the corn until tender, about five more minutes

9.     Season with salt and pepper, to taste

10.  Enjoy!

RECIPE: Roasted Corn with Manchego and Lime

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 6 ears of sweet yellow corn, unhusked
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Manchego cheese is sold at better supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°. Roast unhusked corn on a baking sheet, turning occasionally, until heated through and crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Shuck corn and cut kernels from cobs. Discard cobs.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté until heated through and light-golden in spots, 3-5 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer corn to a large wide bowl or deep platter; sprinkle jalapeño and crushed red pepper flakes over. Squeeze lime wedges over; sprinkle with cheese, chives, and lime zest.

RECIPE: Risotto with Tomatoes and Corn

Difficulty Level: Intermediate
 

Ingredients

2  good-size ears sweet corn

7  cups well-seasoned vegetable stock or chicken stock

2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½  cup minced onion

  Salt to taste

2  garlic cloves, minced

1 ½  cups arborio rice

1  pound tomatoes, grated or peeled, seeded and diced

  Pinch of sugar

  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½  cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

2 to 3  tablespoons slivered fresh basil, or a mix of basil, chives, and parsley

¼ to ½  cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 to 2 ounces)

Preparation

1. Remove corn kernels from cobs and set aside the kernels. Simmer the cobs in stock for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from stock and discard. Make sure your stock is well seasoned. Bring back to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and rice and cook, stirring, until grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, a minute or two. Stir in tomatoes, sugar and salt to taste and cook, stirring, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Add wine and stir until it has evaporated and has been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. Stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir continually, but stir often and vigorously. After 10 minutes, add corn and continue for another 10 to 15 minutes. When rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning.

4. Add another ladleful of stock to rice. Stir in basil (or basil, parsley and chives) and Parmesan and remove from heat. The mix should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

RECIPE: Raw Corn & Tomato Salad

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

8 ears of corn

2 quarts cherry tomatoes

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (or to your taste)

1 medium red onion

1 large handful of roughly chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley

1 quart sugar snap peas (optional)

Salt (preferably a large-flake, course sea salt like Maldon)

Pepper

Instructions:

1. Strip raw corn from ears (yes, raw!) by running a chef's knife down the sides of each ear into a bowl--you will also be collecting the "milk" from the corn as you cut.

2. Slice cherry tomatoes in half or quarters depending on their size.

3. Chop the red onion into a large dice.

4. If using sugar snap peas (as they can be hard to find at the same time as the corn & tomatoes), cut them in half or thirds.

5. Toss all the vegetables & herbs into a bowl, along with the vinegar, salt & pepper. Allow the salad to sit for 20 min. or so before serving for the flavors to meld.

 

 

RECIPE: Roasted Chicken with Leeks and Scallions

Difficulty Level: Easy

-1 whole chicken

-2 TB each Chinese 5 spice and garlic powder

-1 TB salt

-all the greens and scraps from the leeks and scallions -- all those end parts you don't really want to eat or cook and get stuck in the refrigerator door

 

-corn or potatoes

Wash the chicken and rub the seasonings into the chicken itself (underneath the skin but leaving the skin intact), and then stuff all the scallion/leek ends into the cavity of the chicken and under its skin, tenting the skin out around the breasts and back.  

Roast at 400F over the 2 ears of corn, or you could use the potatoes to keep the chicken off the pan and to impart great flavor to the veggies.   

Roast however long you normally do/depending on the size of the chicken.

 

Submitted by Adrienne Mishkin

RECIPE: Southern California Style Egg Bake

Difficulty Level: Intermediate 

Note: This is a medium difficulty recipe, but only because it takes a whole bunch of ingredients - but it uses several recent CSA ingredients, and I think you could easily throw in a few more -- the tomatoes, squash, and okra would all be fine to add in, or even corn instead of posole -- just don't leave out the lime, that is key! :) This makes for a fabulous hearty brunch.

Ingredients
·        1 TB oil
·        2 red onions
·        1-2 jalapenos or other small spicy peppers
·        2 red  or other sweet peppers
·        2 ears corn
·        1 TB cumin
·        1 TB dried, powdered chile de arbol
·        1 TB salt
·        1 12 oz can Mexican style spicy tomato sauce
·        1 16 oz can pozole
·        6 eggs (or 2 eggs per diner)
·        1 cup shredded cojita cheese
·        2 limes
·        2 avocados
·        2 cups fage or other greek yogurt

·        Finely chop the onions and peppers

·        Cut corn off the cobs
·        Slice Limes

Preparation

·        Heat oil in the skillet, and add onions, then peppers, with about half the salt, stirring and allowing vegetables to carmelize

·        When onions and peppers are softened, sweep veggies to the side of the skillet, and toast cumin and chile de arbol in the skillet, then mix in with onions and peppers and add corn
·        Stir for a few minutes, then add the Mexican tomato sauce
·        Stir everything together and allow to cook down
·        When close to ready to serve, squeeze limes over the mixture, taste for seasoning and add salt or cumin if needed
·        Crack the eggs over the top of the sauce, trying to place them evenly
·        Sprinkle cojita cheese over the top, place slices of avocado between eggs, and then sprinkle cilantro over everything, cover for a few minutes or until eggs are just cooked, and then serve with big dollops of fage

Submitted by Adrienne Mishkin