Spicy Shrimp, Black Beans and Corn

If you're like me and are looking for easy, summer meals so you can spend more time outdoors, I have a delicious one! This dish has recently become a favorite of ours. . I've made this 3 times this spring.  It's easy, satisfying and doesn't break the diet bank :)  We prefer, wild caught shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico for flavor but use the best you can find.  I prefer buying quick frozen shrimp to buying it already thawed in the fish case.  

This recipe would be equally delicious in the fall with fresh, locally-grown corn and chopped zucchini from the farmers market. 

You can do all of the prep work in the morning so all you have to do is the saute everything and your dinner will be ready in less than 15 minutes.

If you don't mind a few extra carbs, this makes a wonderful soft taco!

Spicy Shrimp, Black Beans and Corn
Adapted from Cooking Light
Printable Recipe

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup shrimp and about 2/3 cup bean mixture - adjust recipe for heartier appetites)

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I like to have that be the net weight, after peeling and deveining)

Cooking spray or canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
3/4 cup bottled salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a large nonstick or other large skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Pat shrimp dry with paper toweling and add shrimp to bowl and toss to coat. This can be done a couple of hours in advance and kept refrigerated.

Heat skillet over medium heat heat on stove top. Coat nonstick pan with cooking spray or, if using a regular skillet, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add shrimp and sauté about 3 minutes, turning once halfway through. Use a tongs to flip over uncooked side of shrimp. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and toss - then remove shrimp from the pan to a plate. Add corn to pan and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in salsa, cilantro, and beans; cook another minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Serve shrimp over bean mixture.

My Suggestions:

1. The shrimp could also be skewered and prepared on the grill.
2. 1-2 small zucchini can be diced and sautéd for 1-2 minutes just before the corn is added.
3. Shrimp can be added back to the pan with the vegetable and bean mixture and served together right from the pan.
4. Tastes great on a soft tortilla.
5. Add a simple side salad of crisp romaine, sliced radishes, cucumber and diced, fresh tomato with a southwest-style dressing and serve alongside the shrimp and beans. Delicious!

Creamy Corn Muffins

It's really fall. I've tried pretending it isn't, ignored it as long as I could.  With the leaves falling all around me, I've pretty much given up hope that summer will return.  Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful time of year, with the bright colors on the trees lighting up the yard.  I just wish it would last just a little longer before the trees are bare for what seems an eternity.

This is the weather when my thoughts turn squirrel-like and I feel compelled to store fat and eat warm, cozy meals like chili, soup, slow-roasted meats and roasted cruciferous veggies to make it through the cold ahead. So, that's exactly what I did this past weekend.  I made a big pot of chili and these amazing corn muffins that I saw on a recent post by Steve Dunn at Oui Chef.  They were so moist and delicious, I was struggling not to eat them all before dinner. 

These do have some ingredients that aren't good on a daily basis, but we'll keep them for special occasions, like when we're really missing summer. Then, we'll grab a rake and burn off those calories.

Creamy Corn Muffins 

Adapted from Oui Chef who adapted it from Piece of Cake cookbook

Printable Recipe

Yields 12 (My batch made a few more so I needed 2 muffin tins)

Note:  Mr. Dunn has reduced the amount of cream and sugar from the original recipe. I'd like to try them with fat free half and half next time I make them. 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal (I only had Bob's Red Mill Coarse grind at home so I pulverized it in my coffee/spice grinder to a finer texture)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 heaping cup cooked corn kernels, pureed (thawed, if frozen)

Preheat oven to 350℉.  pray a 12 muffin pan with no stick spray.  I like Baker's Joy.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Place the whole fresh or thawed, frozen corn kernels (I did not precook the corn) in a food processor and puree until nice and smooth, about 1 minute, using some of the cream to help process.

Whisk the cream and eggs together.  Gently fold in the egg mixture and melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix just until there are no lumps left in the batter. Mix in the corn puree and spoon into muffin cups to about 2/3 full.

Bake about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are puffed and light gold - a tester placed into the center of a muffin should come out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.  Gently reheat in a low oven for about 5 minutes if not using immediately. 

Store left-over muffins in a plastic bag in the frig and reheat in the oven before serving. 

Clam, Halibut and Sweet Corn Chowder

If you enjoy clam chowder, I think you will love this recipe! We are so fortunate to have friends who love to cook and enjoy finding new recipes to prepare for and share with each other.  On one such occasion, we were served this delicious chowder. 

I enjoyed it so much, I couldn't wait to make it myself. Our friend gladly shared the recipe and her adaptations, which I am sharing with you.  This is a perfect, late summer/early fall chowder.  Sweet corn season is nearing its end here, so if you can't get fresh sweet corn at the farmers' market any longer, it's okay to use the sweet corn from your grocer.

When our friend made this for us, she didn't use the fish called for in the recipe but used a larger quantity of clams.  When I made it at home I tried it with the addition of halibut filets and it was wonderful!

Clam, Halibut and Sweet Corn Chowder

Adapted from Chef Adam Zimmerman, Sepia (Chicago)
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

Clam juice – about 1 quart
8 ears sweet corn, shucked and kernels removed, saving cobs (divide kernels in half)
2 leeks, white part only, diced (divided in half)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (divided in half)
3 stalks celery, peeled and diced (divided in half)
1 medium onions, peeled and diced (divided in half)
4 sprigs fresh thyme (divided)
1 bay leaf

1 1/2 lbs small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut to the size of the pearl onions
16 peeled pearl onions
2 cups heavy cream, reduced to 1 cup
4 strips of bacon, cut into 1” pieces (can be omitted, if desired)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 each 5-ounce skinless halibut or cod filets
12 little neck clams, scrubbed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped parsley for garnish

In an 8-quart stock pot combine the remaining 1/2 of kernels with 10 of the corn cobs, half of the diced leek, and half of the celery, carrots and onions, as well as 2 sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. Add the clam juice then add enough water to cover by about 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain the corn stock and discard the solids.

Wash out the stock pot and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Over medium heat add the bacon and cook until rendered and lightly golden brown. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat/olive oil mixture and add the reserved leeks, onions, carrots, celery and corn kernels. Add a pinch of salt and sweat until the vegetables are just beginning to get tender. Add the corn stock and the remaining thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, pearl onions, and cream. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the clams and continue to cook just until the clams open. Add the chopped parsley and the reserved bacon (if using) and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Season the halibut or cod with salt and pepper.  Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and fish. Sear the fish about 4 minutes per side until just cooked through. 

To serve, place a ladle-full of chowder and vegetables into each serving bowl. Add some of the chowder broth and top with a filet of halibut or cod.

Garnish with chopped parsley, reserved cooked bacon and serve with a crusty baguette.

Note:  Can be made without the fish filets - double the amount of clams.

Zesty, Creamed Corn from Thomas Keller

Another wonderful side-dish to consider for your next barbecue is this creamy and zesty corn dish from Thomas Keller. The nice thing about this dish, rather than corn-on-the-cob, is that you can make it earlier in the day and have it ready to heat and serve when the steaks or hot dogs come off the grill.

It will be a while before fresh locally-grown corn is available here but there has been some wonderful Florida corn arriving at the grocery stores recently. My favorite is the bi-colored corn. I prefer to chose cobs that are not the biggest because that usually means they are younger and more tender. I always peel back the husk and poke a fingernail into a kernel to see if it pops with juice. Then I know I have found juicy, fresh corn.

Fresh corn kernels and corn juices are mixed with lime zest, lime juice, cayenne pepper, chives and a little cream to create a piquant corn dish that will hold it's own with any variety of grilled meats.

This is my favorite tool for removing kernels from a corn cob, the Corn Zipper.  It makes removing corn kernels quick and easy!

Zesty and Creamy Summer Corn
Adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home and found in the Washington Post
Printable Recipe

This corn dish has 'attitude'. With the zesty lime, cayenne pepper and chives, there is a wonderful dimension of flavor with each bite. To make sure corn is still fresh when buying, pull back the husk and push a fingernail into one kernel. If it pops with juice, then it is fresh.

6 servings

6 ears super-sweet white or yellow corn, shucked* and kernels removed with a large knife or Corn Zipper
1 large lime
3 tablespoons best-quality unsalted butter
Kosher salt
1/2-3/4 heavy cream (or, as I did, substitute fat-free half & half to reduce calories)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like to use a little more)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped thin chives

Over a large, rimmed baking sheet, use a sharp chef's knife to cut vertically down each ear of corn, slicing off the kernels. I love using my Corn Zipper for this step. Then scrape any remaining corn and corn 'milk' from each cob using a sturdy knife, pressing down while scraping from top to bottom of each cob.

Zest the lime, being careful not to include any pith. Then, cut the lime in half.

Melt the butter in a very large skillet (more than 12 inches across) or saute pan over medium heat. Add the corn and its juice. Squeeze 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice over the corn and season with salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes; the kernels should remain plump-looking yet any liquid in the skillet or pan should be evaporated.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the cream and add the cayenne and the lime zest. Mix well and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture appears slightly thickened yet the corn is still looking plump. Add up to 1/4 cup additional cream, if desired, for a creamier consistency.

Season with salt to taste; stir in the chives. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm.

* I like to remove any excess corn silk by holding each corn cob in my hands under running water in the sink. I use a gently twisting motion with each hand twisting in the opposite direction over the cob to dislodge any remaining silk.

Cool Corn Soup ~ Another Gourmet Dinner Highlight

Another recipe worthy of mentioning from our Gourmet Group event on the fourth was this Cool
Corn Soup from Stir by Barbara Lynch.  After the Provonetta Pizza appetizer that I shared in my last post, we sat down to the table and enjoyed this wonderful, cool, corn soup.

The flavor of the fresh corn was beautifully enhanced by the garnish of mushrooms, scallion and lemon. On a warm, summer evening it was wonderful!


Cool Corn Soup with Mushrooms, Scallion and Lemon
Adapted from Stir by Barbara Lynch
Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

10 medium earns corn, shucked, silk removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sliced shallot (about 1 large)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups whole milk

Garnish:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces mushrooms, preferably chanterelles, chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion
About ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Remove the kernels from the cobs by slicing straight down each cob with a sharp chef’s knife, turning the cob and repeating until most of the kernels are off. Doing this over a rimmed baking sheet makes the job easier. Using the dull side of the knife, scrape the cob hard to extract the corn “milk,’ Reserve a few corncobs.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until the shallot is tender but not browned, stirring occassionally, about 5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the corn kernels for the garnish and put the rest, including and liquid, in the saucepan. Season the corn with 2 teaspoons salt and about 10 grinds of pepper. Stir and then add the milk and 1 cup water. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. (At this point, add 2 or 3 corncobs to simmer with the mixture to add even more corn flavor.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is just tender, 8 to 12 minutes.

Remove the corncobs and puree the soup in a blender or food processor, in small batches to prevent overflow. If you like chunky soup, you can chill the soup as is or, if you would like a more elegant presentation, pass it through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing hard on the solids with a ladle to extract as much flavor and liquid as possible, and chill.

For the garnish:

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not overly brown. Transfer to a small bowl and add the scallion and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings, if neeessary.

Meanwhile, remove the soup from the refrigerator to take some of the chill off. You want it cool, but the flavors will be muted if it’s too cold.

Divide the soup among four to six bowls and center a spoonful of the mushroom garnish in each bowl. Serve immediately.

Do ahead:

Both the soup and the mushroom garnish can be made a day ahead of serving; keep both covered and refrigerated.

Tomato and Corn Pie

Here's a recipe that tastes much better than it looks! Please forgive the photos but it was a dark, dreary evening here when I put this together.  Let me assure you that this was very good! I had purchased fresh Wisconsin corn from the farmer's market and used my own home grown tomatoes, basil and chives. It was the first time I had used my new Kuhn Rikon corn zipper and I loved how it made taken corn off the cob so easy! My friend, Carol, was the first one I know to have one. Thanks, Carol!

Here it is just before the grated cheese and top crust were added...

The warm biscuit-like crust and melted cheese combined with the rest of the wonderful ingredients for autumn harvest goodness.


There are some wonderful comments and tips at the Epicurious website - be sure to read them if you make this.

Tomato and Corn Pie

Courtesy Epicurious
Printable Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 lb beefsteak tomatoes, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely puréed in a food processor
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 oz coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups)
preparation

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then blend in 3/4 stick cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out on a lightly flour surface into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Place into a 9-inch glass pie plate, patting with your fingers to fit (there will be just enough dough to line plate without an overhang).

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, 1 tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, pepper, and salt, then sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with 2 teaspoons melted butter.

Bake pie in middle of oven until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

•Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

Garden Fresh Summertime Pasta!

When I found this recipe on the Williams Sonoma website, I thought it would be a great idea to use the bounty of fresh vegetables available at the farmers' markets or in the garden at the end of summer. It has tomatoes, zucchini and corn - all at the peak of the season right now.  

It's a recipe I will make again and again - it's that good! Are you looking at a basket of zucchini that you don't know what to do with?  Look no further!

I will say that this took longer to prepare than I anticipated.  However, after making it the first time, I knew it could be assembled earlier in the day and then baked when needed.

Delicious, and summertime fresh!

Baked Summer Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma Kitchen
Printable Recipe

Serves 8

Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 lb. penne pasta
6 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
Fresh Kernels cut from of 2 ears of corn
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste9
8 small zucchini, about 2 lb. total, cut into half-moons
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tbs. sliced garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

In a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the corn, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches, add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the corn. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 3 minutes more.

Add the pasta, tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Transfer to the fry pan and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.