Recipe Creation: Sweet Corn + Cherry Tomato + Basil Frittata

Summer produce is my favorite: peaches, tomatoes, corn.... corn.... corn. Did I say corn?  If you don't already know by now, I have a complete corn obsession.  I would happily eat an ear a day, and often do.  As much as I love it straight off the cob, I also enjoy experimenting with corn and tossing it into different dishes.  This frittata is one such example and I'm thrilled with how it turned out.  Each forkful tastes like a bite of summer.  I also love this dish because it can be served for any meal and it's very baby + toddler friendly.  It's a one dish delight.  Enjoy!

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 3-4 basil leaves, torn
• 1 ear corn, cut off cob
• Parmesan, freshly grated
• salt & pepper, to taste
• olive oil (for greasing)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 9-inch pie dish with olive oil.
-In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and add the water.
-Add the corn, tomatoes and basil to the pie dish and pour in the eggs.
-Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
-Remove from heat and sprinkle with parmesan while still warm.
-Let cool, slice + serve.

Recipe Creation: Mexican Corn, Black Bean + Quinoa Bowl

This dish was inspired by a recipe I came across on the SF Cooking School Blog.  I love making quinoa bowls, and decided to up the ante by adding sautéed corn, feta, and a fried egg.  Serve with tortillas and you can even turn the bowl into DIY tacos.  Gotta love it when versatility tastes this good.  Dare I say this is the perfect, easy, weeknight meal?

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rainbow quinoa
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup cooked black beans
• 1 scant tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 3 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. butter
• 2 ears of corn kernels 
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup feta
• Salt & pepper
• Optional- eggs

Directions:

-Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add quinoa.
-Dry fry the quinoa for about 3 minutes, or until slightly toasted, then add water.
-Bring to a boil, then turn to low and cook quinoa for about 15 minutes.
-Meanwhile, toss the bell pepper in a bowl with the red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
-In a small saucepan, sauté the corn in butter and set aside.
-Next, transfer quinoa to a medium bowl to cool.
-Add the beans, corn, cilantro & jalapeño to the quinoa.
-Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt & pepper.
-Toss the dressing into the quinoa bowl and sprinkle with avocado and feta.
-Distribute salad into individual bowls and top each with a fried egg.

Restaurant (Re)creation: Terzo's Roasted Salmon with Farro, White Corn + Cherry Tomatoes

I always love dining at Terzo, but on my most recent visit, I had one dish in particular that I could not stop thinking about.  It was a perfectly roasted salmon over a bed of sweet corn, tomatoes and farro.  It was mild, buttery, and disappeared within minutes.  I looked across the table at my friend, Courtney, and she said, "you must recreate this."  You ask and you shall receive!  Luckily, I was able to find a great recipe from Bon Appétit to use as a starting point.  Then I swapped out the couscous for farro, and added sautéed white corn.  Though this dish does have a few moving pieces going on at once, it's a relatively simple one-dish meal and is both healthy and totally delicious.  Plus, you'll have plenty of corn and tomato farro for leftovers the next day.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

For yogurt raita:

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp. chopped dill
• 1 tbsp. chives
• 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest

For salmon:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 bunch dill fronds
• 1/4 bunch thyme sprigs
• 1 lb. wild king salmon
• Kosher salt
• 4 oz. cherry tomatoes

For farro:

• 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp. za'atar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. butter
• 2 ears white corn, cut off cob
• 1 cup farro
• Kosher salt

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 325 F and begin mixing the yogurt raita ingredients in a small bowl.

-Next, pour 2 tbsp. olive oil in a small roasting pan and top with a bed of herbs.

-Place salmon on the herbs and drizzle with the remaining oil.

-Season with salt, top with tomatoes, and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

-Meanwhile, sauté the corn in 1/2 tbsp. butter and remove from heat.

-Mix the tomatoes, parsley, za'atar, corn, 1 tbsp. oil and salt in a medium sized bowl.

-Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add farro, and cook for 20 minutes.

-Drain farro, transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the remaining oil and butter.  

-Add the tomato and corn mixture to the farro and season with salt.

-Check the salmon and broil for 1-2 additional minutes, or until tender. 

-Cut the salmon and serve on mounds of farro topped with a generous dollop of raita.

Terzo

3011 Steiner Street

San Francisco, CA

(415) 441-3200

www.terzosf.com

Recipe (Re)creation: Chard, Leek, Corn + Manchego Flatbread

This will be my last corn addition for the season- I'm just thrilled I keep finding it! This recipe is partially inspired by my favorite flatbread dish at Contigo, and partially inspired by a recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  One of my favorite things about Contigo is that they ALWAYS have a flatbread on the menu and it always has manchego cheese on it.  The fun part is, they add a new seasonal ingredient on top, so its a surprise every week.  I just got leeks and rainbow chard in my Albert & Eve delivery, so I decided to combine them (and add corn, of course).  In order to make it "weekday friendly," I cheated and used tortillas instead of making pizza dough, but it created the perfect crispy flatbread that I have been seeking. The result- OMG, this might be my favorite flatbread combination!  I know that is a bold statement, but you'll have to try it yourself to prove me wrong.  Take that as a challenge.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 leeks, stalks removed
• 1 bunch rainbow chard
• 1 ear of corn, cut off the cob
• 4 whole wheat tortillas 
• 3/4 cup freshly shaved manchego
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 450 degree F.
-Cut the green stalks off the leeks, and cut the remaining white parts lengthwise.
-Next, cut those halves in 1/2 inch rounds.
-Soak leek slices in cold water to remove dirt and scoop them out onto a paper towel to dry.
-Wash and dry chard and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons.
-Heat a medium skillet over low heat and add 1 tbsp. olive oil.
-Toss in leeks and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
-Add the chard and cook until the chard is tender.
-Next, add the corn and cook for 1-2 minutes.
-Season with salt & pepper.
-Meanwhile, brush tortillas with a scant amount of olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
-Sprinkle tortillas with manchego cheese shavings.
-Spoon the corn, leek, and chard mixture on the tortillas.
-Top with crumbled goat cheese and place in the oven.
-Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tortillas begin to brown and the cheese melts.
-Serve immediately.

*Any extra chard, leek & corn mixture makes for an excellent side dish*

Recipe Creation: Acorn Squash, Poblano, + Corn Tacos

This creation was inspired by a delivery of acorn squash in my weekly fruit and vegetable box from Albert & Eve.  I have been on a Mexican food kick, so I decided to create an acorn squash taco.  You can use any vegetables on hand and get creative with it.  I used white onions, yellow bell peppers, poblanos, jalapeños and corn to complement the roasted squash.  Top it all with a sprinkle of queso fresco and you have the perfect taco for a warm fall evening.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, cut in 1 inch wedges
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 ears of corn, cut off the cob
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 3 tbsp queso fresco
• Tortillas
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
-Meanwhile, brush the squash wedges with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
-Place squash on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
-Next, turn the stove top on medium and place the poblano pepper directly on the burner.
-Rotate the poblano until all sides are charred and the skin is blistered.
-Let the poblano cool, then pull off the skin, remove the seeds and cut the poblano in strips.
-Heat a skillet on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.
-Sauté the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño.
-Remove the squash from the oven, pull of the skin and cut it into 1 inch cubes.
-Put the tortillas is tin foil and place in the oven to warm.
-Add the corn and squash to the other vegetables in the skillet.
-Sauté for 1-2 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.
-Remove the vegetables from heat and season with salt & pepper.
-Scoop the vegetable mixture into the warm tortillas and sprinkle with queso fresco.

Enjoy!

Restaurant (Re)creation: Nopa's Corn Soup with Walnut Pesto

I found this recipe in The Bay Area Homegrown Cookbook by Aaron French, which features tons of great recipes from local bay area chefs.  Nopa happens to be one of my favorite spots and I have yet to have a bad meal there.  Chef Laurence Jossel generously shared this corn soup recipe in French's cookbook and I couldn't be happier.  The only thing I did differently is I didn't strain the soup through a colander and instead opted for a thicker consistency.  Either way, the flavor combinations are dynamite.  Take advantage of this recipe now while corn is in season and readily available at the farmers' market.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the soup:

• 3 medium yellow onions, diced medium
• 1/2 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 jalapeño
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 12 basil leaves
• 10 ears corn
• 1 cup cream
• salt, to taste
• water, as needed

For the walnut pesto:

• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

For the soup: 

-Gently sweat the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in the olive oil until onions are translucent, about 15 min.

-Season lightly with salt and add the corn, cream, and enough water to cover.  

-Simmer slowly for 20 minutes.  

-Puree the soup and strain through a large-holed colander.  

-Adjust seasoning and serve with a dollop of walnut pesto garnish and basil leaves.

For the walnut pesto:

-Combine all ingredients except the basil in a food processor and puree until smooth.  

-Add the basil and puree quickly, keeping in mind that the basil will turn brown if blended more than necessary. 

-Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6

Nopa

560 Divisadero St.

(415) 864-8643

nopasf.com

Recipe (Re)creation: Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Sautéed Corn and Mushrooms

~ From top: close-up of the finished (re)creation, corn and mushroom sauté cooking,
plated corn and mushrooms sauté topped with bacon wrapped scallops ~

This bacon wrapped scallop (re)creation is loosely based on this recipe by Tyler Florence.  It is INCREDIBLY easy and has become one of my weeknight staples.  I use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, but you can use either.  I also serve the scallops over sautéed mushrooms and corn because those happen to be two of my very favorite foods.  I typically eat this dish as a main course, but if you can find small-medium sized scallops they would make a great passed appetizer (without the corn and mushroom sauté).  Either way, you can't go wrong!

Serving size: 2

Ingredients:

6 medium/large scallops
3-4 strips turkey bacon, sliced in half lengthwise
3 ears of corn, cut off the cob
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
6 toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Wrap each scallop with 1/2 slice bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Place scallops in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside until oven is pre-heated.

Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tbsps in a large skillet.  Cook the mushrooms until tender.  Then add the corn and thyme and cook on low.  Remove from heat after 10 minutes.

Place scallops in the oven and cook 13-15 minutes, turning once.  Remove scallops from the broiler once the bacon is slightly crispy.

Scoop equal portions of the corn and mushroom sauté onto two plates and top with 3 scallops each.

Enjoy!

Recipe (Re)creation: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

~ My Chili (Re)creation (both pictured above) ~

This recipe was not inspired by a restaurant, but rather was inspired by a chili cook-off that I went to yesterday.  I figured there would be a lot of traditional meat-heavy chilis and thought it would be a refreshing change to have a seasonal chili in the mix.  I based the chili on this recipe but made a few important changes.  I used black beans instead of pinto beans, substituted chicken broth for vegetable broth and used fire roasted instead of stewed tomatoes.  I also added chipotle chili powder, garlic, corn, cocoa powder and chili sauce for a little extra kick.  Then I finished the chili by garnishing it with chopped avocado and shredded cheese and served it with warm corn tortillas.  You won't believe its vegetarian when you try it because its super rich and hearty on its own.  Maybe even the staunchest of meat-eaters can be swayed?

Serving Size: 2-3 generous portions (recipe can easily be doubled)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 10-oz red-skinned sweet potato, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of sweet corn
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 avocado (for garnish)
• Grated jack or white cheddar cheese (for garnish)
• Tortillas

Directions:


Heat olive oil in heavy medium sauce-pan over medium heat.

Add onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Then add garlic, both chili powders and the cocoa powder and stir 1 minute.

Add broth and potato and cover pan; reduce heat to medium and simmer until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juices, corn, and black beans.

Simmer uncovered until chili thickens and potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix in cilantro, orange peel and a splash of chili sauce.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with avocado and cheese and serve with warm corn tortillas.

Bon Appétit!