Summer Sweet Corn

I have vivid recollections of driving in the country side over summer on the way to my Grandparents lake house. On the half hour drive, we would pass many produce stands that dotted the back roads. I was too young to think about field after field of corn and the connection with the produce stands. I just knew that the corn we bought and later ate at my Grandparents house was really tasty and sweet. Now that I am older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that the corn was so good because it was grown and sold within feet from each other. Add to the fact that while you can get corn year round now a days, it is at its peak in the summer and fall. Corn is an amazing vegetable. It has some fantastic properties, starchy and naturally sweet. In the coming weeks, I will showcase some of my favorite uses and corn recipes. While none are better than corn on the cob boiled with salt and butter, I will share my different takes.

Summer is a time of year when produce blossoms. The heat makes plants go crazy and we reap the benefits. This recipe is all about the quality of your ingredients. Find a produce stand in the country or head to your local farmers market to get top quality ingredients.

Corn And Potatoes With Heirloom Tomatoes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

¼ lb bacon (about 4 thick slices) chopped

1 shallot, minced

½ cup dry white wine

3 Yukon gold potatoes, 1/3 inch dice

1 ¼ cups water

8 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob

1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

¼ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

½ lb heirloom or cherry tomatoes, chopped or halved

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

• Cook bacon in a heavy bottom saucepan until crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels
• Add the shallot to the pan with a dash of salt, cooking on low heat until the shallot is soft
• Add the white wine and scrap up and brown bits stuck to the pan. Raise the heat and cook until the wine is reduced by half
• Add the potatoes and ½ cup of water, simmer uncovered until liquid is almost gone
• Meanwhile, puree 1 cup of corn with just enough water to make it puree. Force the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Keep the liquid and discard the solids
• Add the remaining corn to the potato mixture along with the paprika, thyme, and the remaining ¾ cup of water. Simmer until corn and potatoes are just tender and liquid is almost dry
• Remove from heat and add in the tomatoes, season to taste