Quinoa and Corn Salad

Quinoa and Corn Salad
From Ezra Pound Cake 

As an avid lunch packer, having a cold salad in the fridge all week can be invaluable.  When I'm scrambling to throw something in Tupperware at 7am while simultaneously whipping up breakfast sammies and figuring out who's going to walk this rascal, cold pasta and grain salads are my go-to.  John is too manly to pack a lunch for the office, but since he works from home a few days a week no one has to see him secretly eating leftover homemade salads for lunch on those days.

This salad is really refreshing and a great way to use what's left of summer corn.  If you've never cooked quinoa (keen-wa) before, it's not as scary as it looks.  You can get it in bulk at Whole Foods, and most normal grocery stores sell it now too.  Try the organic or natural aisle, or just ask an employee.  If you can't find it or aren't feeling adventurous, this would also work with couscous, bulgur, faro, or any other small grain.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
• 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (this was about 6 limes for me)
• 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded, or more to taste
• 1 garlic clove, grated (use a cheese grater - it prevents bites with big pieces of raw garlic, which can be pretty gross)
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 2 ears of corn, kernels cut off
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer for at least 45 seconds, shaking the strainer to make sure everything gets rinsed.  This step is no joke - quinoa has a weird, soapy tasting film on it naturally, and you definitely want to wash it off.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet.  Add rinsed quinoa and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the quinoa and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook 18-20 minutes, until all water is absorbed and the quinoa looks like it's uncoiling.
5. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, until cool.
6. Toast cumin over medium heat in a small skillet for 3 minutes.
7. Combine toasted cumin, 5 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk to blend.
8. Stir in cooled quinoa, corn kernels, tomatoes, scallions, avocado and cilantro.

Serves 8 as a side dish or light lunch.

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Corn Soup

 

 

Corn Soup
From 101 Cookbooks 

 

September might be my favorite cooking month of the year.  The farmers markets are chock full of great produce, and there's a nip in the air that warrants comfort foods I've missed all summer.  This recipe embodies that combo.  It takes fresh corn, which is still in abundance at Midwest farmers markets, and turns it into a thick, hearty, warm soup.

 

I made it on a whim for dinner one night because I had a TON of corn left over from the Labor Day BBQ (I guess everyone filled up on the pork and forgot to eat their veggies!).  It made a fabulous dinner and I went to bed happy.  Then I woke up the next morning hungry and inspired.  I took Heidi over at 101 Cookbooks' advice and served it up over a bed of cooked farro.  And then, since we feel incomplete without eggs in our breakfast, we topped it with a fried egg.  And life was so good.

 

Ingredients

• 6 ears fresh corn, husks removed
• 8 cups water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 lb potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• large pinch of salt
• 4 medium shallots, chopped (I used 1/2 a white onion, cause that's what I had)
• 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste
• plain yogurt, to serve
• cayenne pepper, to serve

Preparation

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot.
2. While water is coming to a boil, cut the kernels off the corn cobs.  Reserve corn kernels.
3. Place the naked cobbs in the boiling water.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-30 minutes, or until you prep the rest of the ingredients.
4. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. When fat is hot, add potatoes and a large pinch of salt, stir to coat.  Saute for about 7 minutes, or until potatoes are nearly cooked through.
6. When potatoes are nearly cooked through, add shallots and garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
7. Remove cobs from corn broth; discard cobs.  Add potato mixture, reserved corn kernels, and 2 tsp salt to the corn broth.
8. Simmer for 2 minutes.
9. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
10. Place mixture in blender and puree.  I like my soup pretty silky, so I split my soup into two blending batches, making one a complete velvety puree, and the other mildly chunky.
11. Return soup to pot and heat.  Taste and correct for salt and pepper.
12. Serve with a sprinkle of cayenne and a dollop of plain yogurt.  (Even if you don't think you like yogurt, it really brightens the flavors and doesn't taste like yogurt if you stir it in.  My yogurt hating roommate confirmed this).

Serves 4 heaping bowls as soup.  If you serve it over the farro with a fried egg it is EXTREMELY filling, and would easily make 6 servings.

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