Tomato Girl Summer

I’m eating tomatoes pretty much every day, sometimes twice a day, and usually corn on the cob is making an appearance somewhere on my menu each day as well. In the spirit of the La Dolce Vita, I decided to make a pasta with the two, and added a most magical ingredient – miso. 

If you’re new to miso, it’s fermented soybean paste that adds an incredible layer of umami richness to your cooking.  I highly recommend adding it to your refrigerator – I use it in all sorts of things, from marinades, salad dressings, I mix it with butter and put it on sweet potatoes, and it’s even the secret ingredient to my chocolate chip cookies.

Both the tomatoes and the corn are extremely sweet this time of year, so adding in the miso rounds out the dish and adds an extra “umphf” of flavor that makes it so you just can’t put your finger on why it’s so good.  (How would Italians say “je ne sais quoi?” Maybe “non so che?”) The little yellow tomatoes are so juicy, the corn gives an extra pop of texture, the addition of butter and cheese make it rich and creamy, the basil a pop of freshness – this pasta is so delicious, I actually had to make it two days in a row.  It’s also incredibly quick to prepare – I make the sauce in the time it takes for the spaghetti to boil.

Of course, it would only be right to pour a cold glass of white wine to go along side. I will tell you that the Kind of Wild chardonnay with this pasta is the maybe the best wine pairing to a meal that I’ve ever found. The umami of the miso really works with the acidity of the Chardonnay, not to mention its buttery flavors with the corn, just make for the absolute perfect pairing.  (Bonus: as with all Kind of Wild wines, it’s organic and zero sugar, just saying!)

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Ryan and I do, and I’m also including a tomato jam recipe that I posted earlier this week on Instagram.  I got so much response from it, I wanted to share it again in case you missed it.  I serve it on toasted bread and it is also great with some cheese, or on the side with eggs in the morning.

Here’s to an Endless Tomato Girl Summer!!

Spaghetti with Yellow Tomatoes and Corn

Easy 4 Servings 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 pint small yellow tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 ears corn, cut from the cob
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 2 tablespoons white miso paste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season aggressively with salt.
2. Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for a minute or two. Add tomatoes and increase heat to medium high. Stir often, using a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes and help release their juices. Reduce heat to medium low once the juices start to release.
3. When the pasta is a little more than halfway done, remove ½ cup pasta water and whisk with miso.
4. Stir in corn to tomatoes. Add miso pasta water. Increase heat to medium. Using tongs, transfer spaghetti directly into the skillet. It’s ok if there is more pasta water that comes with the spaghetti! Add butter. Use tongs to toss to combine, allowing the pasta to continue to cook for another minute or 2. Turn off heat. Stir in cheese and basil. Serve immediately.

Tomato Jam

Easy 4 Servings 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pint small tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• Dash of Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Cut little tomatoes (like grape or cherry or sungolds) in half.
2. Heat EVOO in a saucepan over medium high heat, stir in tomatoes, cook about 1-2 minutes while using a wooden spoon to break them up.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until a jammy consistency.
4. Serve on toasted crusty bread 🍞

Favorite Summer Corn Recipes

As soon as the farm stands begin to open in the spring, I anxiously await the arrival of summer corn.  I drive by the farm fields, watching their progress, reciting “knee high by the 4th of July,” in my head. I’m just gonna put this out there right now, Long Island has the best corn I’ve ever tasted (same goes for tomatoes).

Any time I make a statement like that, I get a slew of messages telling me that I’m wrong (especially from my New Jersey followers!). 

The truth is, it’s all good this time of year.  The beauty of summer produce is that you don’t need to do much to it – the perfection is in its simplicity.  Steamed corn on the cob with melted butter and a sprinkling of salt is pretty hard to beat, but occasionally, I like to dress it up a bit.

This recipe for Green Goddess Corn on the Cob is one of my absolute favorites (Yes, there are anchovies in it. No, it does not taste fishy. Please, don’t leave them out.)  I also love cutting it from the cob for a simple saute in butter with sesame seeds and fresh basil. I’m also sharing my Scallop Corn Chowder recipe here and, for what might be a surprising combination, Sweet Corn Ice Pops 🌽 (also pictured, Minty Watermelon Lemonade Pops, so I’m including that recipe as well here)!

Enjoy!

xoKatie

p.s. Keep an eye out for next week's newsletter... I have some exciting news to share! 👏

Green Goddess Corn on the Cob

Easy 8 Servings 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ears corn, steamed or grilled
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets *
• ¼ cup cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine basil, parsley, scallions, and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add anchovies and cheese, pulse. Add mayonnaise and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Brush onto hot corn and sprinkle with more cheese.
2. * Yes, there are anchovies. No, it doesn’t taste fishy. Please, don’t leave them out.

Scallop Corn Chowder

Easy 4 Servings 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• One 14-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 pound sea scallops, halved, or quartered if large
• Optional Crumbled cooked bacon and sliced scallions

Instructions

1. ln a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, chicken broth, and 2 cups of the corn. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the remaining 2 cups corn and the milk. Add to the soup. Let simmer about 5 minutes.
3. Add scallops and cook 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stem. Garnish with bacon and scallions, if desired, and serve immediately.

Corn Ice Pops

Easy 10 Servings 120 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ears sweet corn, kernels cut off the cobs, cobs reserved
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup agave syrup
• Pinch of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, corn kernels, and corncobs over medium heat until the milk is bubbly, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Discard the cobs. Use a slotted spoon to remove about 1 cup (145 g) of the kernels and set them aside.
2. In a blender, combine the corn and milk mixture, the yogurt, agave syrup, salt, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the reserved corn and pulse once on low speed. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze until firm.

Minty Watermelon Lemonade Pops

Easy 10 Servings 120 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed watermelon, seeds removed
• 1 cup lemonade
• ¼ cup simple syrup
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze until firm.