Corn and Black Bean Salad with Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes

Corn and Black Bean Salad with Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes
In a dish like this, the exact measurement of the ingredients isn’t so important. Use what you have and enjoy summer!
1 ½ cups corn kernels (cut from 3 to 4 cobs, or thawed if frozen)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and well rinsed
½ cup finely-chopped bell pepper
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
½ cup chopped green onions (scallions)
1 small chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

1. Cook corn in a skillet over medium heat until most of its liquid has evaporated and some kernels begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, chili power, coriander, cumin and honey. On a cutting board, sprinkle the salt on the minced garlic. Chop together, then press the salt into the garlic repeatedly with the side of a large knife to form a paste. (Alternatively, crush the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle.) Add the pasted garlic to the vinegar mixture.

3. Add the olive oil to the vinegar mixture and whisk well to combine completely. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well to coat with the dressing. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Taste before serving and add vinegar or salt if desired (especially if the corn is especially sweet). 

Recipe found at:http://themessyapron.blogspot.com/2009/08/cob-and-kernel.html 

My Grandmother’s Multicolored Mixed Vegetable Raita Recipe

Ingredients:  

• 1 large seedless cucumber, the kind with the plastic wrap or 4 small cucumbers (about 3 cups when chopped)
• 3 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups when chopped)
• 1 small green pepper (about 1/2 cup when chopped)
• 1 small orange pepper (about 1/2 cup when chopped)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups drained canned sweet corn
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (I didnt use, because I couldnt find them)
• 3 cups yogurt
• salt 

Directions: 

• Peel the cucumber and carrots, and chop into very small pieces. Chop the peppers into tiny pieces as well. Cut each cherry tomato into 2 or 3 pieces.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, except salt. Place the raita in the fridge. Raita tastes better if it sits over night. Add salt just before serving and stir well. Serve chilled. 

Recipe found at: http://www.veggiebelly.com/2010/07/multicolored-mixed-vegetable-raita.html

Raw Corn Chowder

Ingredients: 

1 cob of corn (cut the tips of the kernels off and then scrape out the “cream”)
Put the corn in a bowl.

Blend
1/4 C cashews
1 green onion
1 C water
Sea salt to taste

Directions: 

Pour over the corn. Stir and serve. 

Recipe found at: http://www.reallyrawfood.com/recipes/#chowder

Goat Cheese and Roasted Corn Guacamole

Ingredients

3 ripe Haas avocados

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

corn cut from 1 roasted cob*

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno, (I used about 1/3 cup)
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
tortilla chips for serving

Directions
*To roast the corn place corn over a low flame burner and rotate every 10 seconds to char on all sides.  If you don’t have a gas burner, a outdoor grill is wonderful as is the broil setting of your oven. Cut charred corn from the cob once it’s cool enough to handle.
Cut each avocado in half lengthwise.  Remove the pit from the avocado and discard.  Scoop  the meat out of the skin and place in a medium bowl.  Add the goat cheese, charred corn bits, chives, lemon juice, and jalapeno.  Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, but a few avocado chunks remain.  Season with salt and pepper.  Taste and re-season if necessary.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Guacamole can we stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.  You should having a problem coaxing people to finish it. 

Recipe found at: http://joythebaker.com/2013/04/goat-cheese-and-roasted-corn-guacamole/

Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips (Rajas)

Ingredients

• 6 fresh poblano chiles* (or canned, peeled)
• 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 found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/creamy-poblano-pepper-strips-rajas-recipe/index.html

Corn and Zucchini Sauté

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped scallion

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 cups corn (from about 4 ears)
2 medium zucchini (1 lb total), quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 Preparation

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add corn, zucchini, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

 Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/summer/cooknow_corn/recipes/food/views/Corn-and-Zucchini-Saute-230474#ixzz28vKh1Ggh

Corn, Fava Bean, and Cucumber Succotash

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh fava beans (from about 20 pods)
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons finely diced white onion
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Blanch the fava beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well. When the beans are cool enough to handle, remove their skins. Set the beans aside.
2. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent but not brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Raise the heat to medium and add the cucumber. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until the cucumber is tender, about 6 minutes. If the onion begins to brown, add a tablespoon or two of water and continue cooking.
4. Add the corn and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the fava beans and bell pepper. Season and cook 2 minutes more, until tender. Stir in the tarragon and serve.

Colorful Corn Salad

This corn and avocado side salad adds a splash of Mexican colour and flavour to the dining table.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 4 bi-colour corn cobs, kernels removed (see note)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small avocado, finely chopped
• 250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add corn kernels. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water.
2. Combine corn, coriander, onion, avocado, tomatoes, lime juice and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Charred Corn Tacos with Zucchini-Radish Slaw

Serves 4 to 6       

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound red radishes (from about 2/3 of a bundle with stems and leaves), trimmed
• 1 small (4 to 5 ounces) zucchini, long and narrow if you can find it
• 2 limes
• Salt
• 4 ears corn, husks removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional if blistering tacos in skillet
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped epazote (if you can find it), cilantro or pasley (for the cilantro-averse) leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces or 70 grams) crumbled cotija cheese (or another salty, crumbly cheese such as ricotta salata or feta)
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 10 to 12 small (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
  

 

 Directions:
Cut radishes and zucchini into tiny matchsticks with a mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, you can use a peeler to peel thick ribbons down the long side of the zucchini. Stack the ribbons and cut them crosswise into thin matchsticks. Cut the radishes into a similar shape by hand. Toss radishes and zucchini together. Squeeze the juice of half a lime over the radish and season with salt to taste. Add more lime juice if desired. Set aside.

Remove toddlers from the kitchen. Over a hot grill or an open gas-stove flame char two of the ears of corn until well-blackened but not completely burnt. If you’re using the burner method, you’ll probably, quickly, notice that corn likes to pop and snap, occasionally spraying you with splats of corn. It’s a little scary, which is I why I suggest you remove anyone small and easily harmed before you begin. However, I found the charred corn flavor to be completely worth the scare and hope you do too.

Remove cobs from heat, and when cool enough to handle, shave off kernels using large knife and reserve.Remove kernel from remaining two ears of corn.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and oil together and once hot, add the onion. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the raw corn kernels and sauté until corn is just cooked through, about three to five minutes. Turn heat to high, add the charred kernels of corn to the mixture, and toss to combine until heated through. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the corn mixture, and use the juice to scrape up any stuck bits. Season the corn mixture with salt and chili powder. Stir in chopped herbs, if using.

You can heat your tortillas one of two ways. You can wrap the whole stack in foil and place it in a warm (250 degrees) oven for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. However, I prefer to get a nice blister on them before filling them. Coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with olive oil and wipe it out so on the thinnest slick remains. Heat the skillet on high. Once hot, cook a tortilla for about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, until lightly blistered. Repeat with remaining tortillas but if your skillet is well-seasoned, no need to repeat the oiling process.

Fill each taco with a few small spoonfuls of the corn mixture. Top with a spoonful of crumbled cheese and a bit of the radish-zucchini slaw. Serve with an extra lime wedge on the side (you’ll have half a lime left to slice up), and whatever fixings you like (sour cream, avocado wedges, etc.)

Read More: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/07/charred-corn-tacos-with-zucchini-radish-slaw/