4plates2table

We’re in the middle of summer which means lots of fresh vegetables. Hopefully everyone is taking advantage of the summer’s bounty. Support your local farmers! I haven’t been picking at our farms this season, just buying. People come from near and far to visit our historic little town and its beautiful farms. They come to pick-their-own and will do so joyfully regardless of the temperature. Like them, I relish the splendor of it all. I come home proud of my overflowing baskets of local goodness and stare in bewilderment, thinking – whose going to eat all this? Like last year when I picked 8 quarts of strawberries or the time I picked 13 pounds of apples. This summer you can call me lazy. Schlepping into the fields in the summer heat has just seemed like punishment.

So in the spirit of laziness… I bought some fresh corn at the farm stand and wanted to make something flavorful, healthy and a little more exciting than just plain corn on the cob. There was a nice assortment of fresh peppers at the farmer’s market, so I grabbed a bunch to make this perfect-for-summer side dish. I know 8-10 peppers may seem like a lot, but the peppers I used were small. After they were charred, cleaned and diced, I probably had less than 2 cups.

I made this Mexican style, to serve with fish tacos (recipe coming soon). This would be equally delicious using fresh basil in place of cilantro, omitting the cumin and chili powder. Remember, if you’re using hot peppers the heat is in the seeds and membrane. Keep them if you like it super spicy or stick to bell peppers for a milder flavor.

INGREDIENTS FOR CORN SAUTE (Serves about 6)

• 8-10 assorted peppers (green, red, poblano, jalapeño… your choice) – charred, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, schucked and kernels cut off the cob
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
• Kosher salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• Juice 1/2 fresh lime
• Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

The first step is charring the peppers…

Fresh from the farm assorted peppers

I used our outdoor grill… Place the whole peppers, no oil needed, directly on the grill, preheated on medium-high. Turn the peppers occasionally until the outsides are nicely blackened and charred. No worries, when you peel them they will be perfect. Once black all over, place the whole peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit in the bowl until they are cool enough to touch.

Not so pretty, but perfectly charred peppers.

On a cutting board, remove the black exterior of each pepper – they will peel very easily if you rub them gently with your fingers. Remove the seeds and core, then dice. For this recipe I cut the red pepper into thin strips and diced the others. I thought it looked pretty.

Charred peppers ready to enjoy.

That’s it. If you don’t use all the peppers at once, you can store them covered in olive oil in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Yummy!

TO MAKE THE  CORN SAUTE…

Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan, and add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, and toss in the corn kernels and diced charred peppers. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin and chipotle chili powder. Stir until combined. Add the chopped tomatoes, stir and allow to simmer. The tomatoes will release their juices.

After about 10-15 minutes, taste the corn for seasoning and adjust as needed. Once the corn is tender, add the lime juice, toss in the fresh cilantro and serve. It’s even good cold the next day.

* Feeling lazy or corn on the cob is out of season? Use frozen corn : )