AKA Recipes that use zucchini/summer squash are always welcome in the summer, aren’t they?
Here we have another pair of winners from Didi Emmons’s fantastic Vegetarian Planet. I’ll admit that I was feeling at a bit of a loss as to what to do with the ginormous cousa squash that I got in my CSA box last week so I turned to Veg Planet for some guidance. And it was guidance that I found, right in the index, filed under Z. Once I found the quesadilla recipe, I hunted through the salsa chapter, but not too hard – this is the first recipe in the chapter.
But first I’m going to show you something magic (that I actually suspect is exciting to me and no one else…)
I don’t know where I read about this tip for cleaning corn off the cob (probably Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart, knowing me) but it has changed my life – no more cursing or messes, a use for my bundt pan that I hate (it really stinks for cake-baking) – it’s awesome! Anyway…
Once the corn id off of the cob, it gets roasted with lots of garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. It starts out all bland and pale…
…And, through the magic of, um, heat, turns into something golden, fragrant and delicious!
While the corn and garlic are roasting, you’ll be chopping tomatoes, cilantro and a chile and bathing them in a nice squirt of lime…
The corn and garlic are added, and the whole thing sits for an hour…
After an hour, taste to adjust the seasonings. I ended up adding a bit of honey and a little more salt to balance everything out.
The quesadillas are just as easy – chop some zucchini and garlic, or in my case cousa squash and garlic chives…
Sauté them for just a few minutes with some chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder – yum)…
Put them aside and build your quesadillas right in the same pan. I added black beans for a little extra protein.
Top with the salsa and a dollop of sour cream and enjoy. Yummmmmmm!
Roasted Corn & Garlic Salsa
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Planet
- 2 cups of fresh corn
- 15 large garlic cloves, peeled, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 minced jalapeño – if you like a lot of heat leave the seeds and ribs, if not, omit them
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped – I used a very generous 1/4 cup (also known as a 1/2 cup) of cilantro because we love cilantro
- a dab of honey or sugar, if you need it.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a roasting pan, combine corn kernels & sliced garlic & mix well. Drizzle olive oil over the corn, then add the water, salt & pepper, mixing well. Roast corn & garlic, uncovered for 20 minutes (or until it is nice and brown and fragrant).
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, corn/garlic mixture, lime juice, jalapeno & cilantro. Stir well, then let the salsa stand for 1 hour at room temperature to develop the flavors. Taste and add anything the salsa may need, sweetness, more salt, etc. Serve salsa immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The salsa is best the day it is made.
Chile & Zucchini (or any summer squash, really) Quesadillas
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Planet
- 3 teaspoons chili powder – I used a mixture of chipotle and regular chili powder
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Garlic – either cloves, scapes or chives – I used a handful of garlic chives. If you are using cloves, the recipe calls for 1 large clove
- Summer squash – I used a giant cousa squash so my seasonings are adjusted up
- Salt and Pepper
- Jack Cheese or queso fresca, grated or crumbled
- Black beans (optional)
- Tortillas
- Fixins – sour cream, salsa, hot sauce…
Note: The recipe as written makes serves 2 – I got 4 servings last night.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet and sauté the zucchini and garlic with the chili powder, salt and pepper.
Remove the veggies from the pan and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add a tortilla and top it with cheese, veggies and beans. Cook it, open-faced, until the cheese begins to melt. Fold the quesadilla over and continue cooking for 30 seconds. Flip it and continue cooking for 30 more seconds. Enjoy!
And now for some grocery lists…
Boston City Hall Plaza Farmers’ Market – July 20th
- 3 ears of corn for $1.95
- 1 bunch of cilantro for $1.50
- 6 tomatoes for $5.50
- 1 pint of plums for $4
Total? $12.95
Market Basket – July 20th
- 1 jalapeño for $.12
- 1 block of Monterey Jack cheese for $1.50
- 1 jar of chipotle chili powder for $5.99
- 1 jar of chili powder for $1.99
- 1 tiny tub of sour cream for $.69
- 1 can of black beans fro $.80
- 1 package of tortillas for $1.69
Total? $12.78
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