Week 11: Corny Corn Muffins and Vegetarian Chili

Corn on the cob? Not this summer: Both kids have braces on their teeth. But fresh corn kernels off the cob? We're using them practically everywhere.

Vegetarian chili is one of my favorite mix-and-match recipes. You can adjust the ingredients to work with whatever you have on hand. Don't like peppers? Leave them out. Got some mushrooms you need to use up? Throw them in. Your chili won't be exactly like mine, but it will still taste good, particularly if you have peak-of-the-season corn and tomatoes. I often serve the chili with rice, but  fresh corn muffins make a perfect summertime accompaniment.

Both the muffins and chili freeze well, so make an extra batch and enjoy a bit of summer long after the season is gone.

Vegetarian Chili
(Adapted from Parade Magazine. Serves 4-5.)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (red, yellow, or white)
5 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or substitute 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) black beans with their liquid
1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
2 cups chopped summer squash (about 1 squash) or zucchini, or use a combination of both
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears of corn)
1 cup (packed) chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute more. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Serve with the garnishes of your choice, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, or additional cilantro or onion.

Corny Corn Muffins
(Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's recipe, as seen in the New York Times. Makes 12. Instead of buttermilk, I used the standard substitute of 1 Tbsp white vinegar mixed with milk to equal 1 cup.)

1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup yellow cornmeal 
3 Tbsp sugar 
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute, as described in the headnote)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 Tbsp canola oil 
1 large egg 
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears of corn)

Fit the molds of a regular-sized muffin tin with paper liners, or grease the molds. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, oil, and egg until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, quickly but gently stir to blend. Do not overbeat the mixture; the batter will be lumpy. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the muffins for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden; a thin knife inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean. Transfer the muffin tin to a rack and cool five minutes before removing each muffin from its mold. Serve the muffins warm, at room temperature, or toasted.

Week 10: Oven-Fried Squash Sticks

Ah, CSA season. Time for lots of local food and healthful eating.

Yeah, who are we kidding? Last week we were noshing on chips and salsa. This week, we could have steamed or grilled our lovely squash, but ... Hey, let’s coat these babies in eggs and crunchy breadcrumbs and salty cheese ...

These are not deep-fried, so you could construe them as healthful. Or not. Regardless, they were mighty tasty.

Oven-Baked Squash Sticks

(Adapted from King Arthur Flour. Note that the squash should drain for 1 hour before breading, so PLAN AHEAD.)

   For Preparation Step

3 slender summer squash (straightneck), about 6 inches long

1 Tbsp salt

   For Coating and Baking

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Scant 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Olive oil spray, or regular cooking spray

Preparation: Trim squash ends. Slice the squash in half crosswise, then cut each half into six (or more) sticks or wedges; these should be about 3 inches long. Place the sliced squash in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt. Let the squash drain for 1 hour or longer, then rinse and pat dry.

Coating and Baking: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with olive oil or regular cooking spray.

Combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings. Place half of the mixture into a shallow rimmed bowl, and set aside the rest. Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Place the flour into a third bowl.

Dip the squash sticks individually into the flour, tapping off any excess with a fork; then into the egg, and then the breadcrumb mixture. Place the coated squash sticks onto the baking sheets. Use the reserved  breadcrumb mixture when needed; by adding to the crumb bowl periodically, you keep the mixture from getting too eggy to coat the squash well. (Also, it's a good idea whenever you are breading something to use only one hand for dipping ingredients, and keep your other hand clean.)

Bake the squash sticks for 12 minutes, then turn them over and bake for about 8 minutes more, or until they are golden brown and crisp. Serve hot, with marinara sauce or another sauce for dipping, as desired.

Week 7: The Hyper-Local Dinner

THIS WEEK'S HIT: Dinner with friends. HONORABLE MENTION: Deconstructed Squash "Salad"

Kit went off to overnight camp this week. This will not appreciably change the amount of vegetables consumed at home, or at camp, I suspect.

It's not that Kit dislikes vegetables. She dislikes risk, which makes her leery of any food presented in a novel way. Our CSA program throws her for a loop, because I tend to experiment with the vegetables we receive.

One favorite of hers, though, is corn. And that was our modest contribution to an amazing meal we had with friends a couple of days before Kit's departure to camp. Our hosts' game plan: Visit a local farmers' market for fish and vegetables and make dinner from the purchases.

Now you should know that our friends, in addition to being great cooks, are kitchen maniacs who do not restrict themselves to the model of Entree-Starch-Vegetable. So our meal -- for four adults and three children -- included striped bass and salmon from a local fish purveyor; yellow squash grilled with a homemade mocha spice mix (yup, there's a local chocolate manufacturer); grilled celeriac; collards cooked with shallots and veggie bacon; two kinds of potato salad; pickled beets and other pickled vegetables; grilled chicken cutlets; a savory plum sauce for the grilled food; wild blueberry-custard tarts; chocolate angel food cake with black raspberry sauce (raspberries from the hosts' garden!); brownies with chocolate chips and marshmallows; and the boiled corn. Just about everything served, aside from the brownies, featured a local ingredient. And I'm probably forgetting something we ate.

It would be daunting to replicate that meal, but the components came from Connors Farm (our CSA!), the Winchester Farmers Market, and the Arlington Farmers Market. There are numerous other farmers' markets in the Boston area; Taza Chocolate makes the rounds at several of them.

Back at home, we kept things simple. We mixed our CSA tomatoes and cucumbers with onion for a cool chopped salad; marinated chickpeas and more cucumber in basalmic vinegar and olive oil; and munched on peaches and sweet, raw carrots. We also fiddled with a recipe for a sauteed squash salad, cutting down on the olive oil and serving the components separately to accommodate individual tastes. The original recipe was posted on the Idylwilde Farm web site; my version is below. (Sorry, no picture. We ate this up too quickly.)

Deconstructed Squash "Salad"

Ingredients

2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Hot pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Peel and slice the garlic. Remove the ends of the squash and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Cut the slices in half crosswise if they are very long.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the garlic slices until they are brown. Remove and reserve the garlic. Saute the squash slices in batches until brown, about 2 minutes per side. If necessary, drain the slices on paper towels before placing on a platter.

Serve the squash at room temperature with the garlic slices, vinegar, and spices available on the side. Serves 2 to 4 people.