This is my favorite time of the year!  Dinners are quick and simple.  Inspiration comes from what is on hand from the last visit to the farmers market, and  what is ripe in the garden.  The zucchini is now producing.  If you have grown zucchini yourself, you know you need to check the plant every single day, under every single leaf or risk finding an 8 pounder that results in 15 loaves of zucchini bread!   I have been checking everyday, and luckily I found two manageable zucchini.  I was also lucky enough to find plenty of basil, a few Anaheim chilies and a sprinkling of ripe tomatoes.  Unheard of this early in the season in Seattle, but hey, I’ll take it.  Don’t you love the nasturtiums?  They just seem to shout “summer”!

We had planned on bbq’d chicken and corn on the cob for a quick dinner.  I love fresh, sweet corn but I prefer it OFF the cob.  I know that is weird, maybe it’s due to a mouthful of braces and retainers as a kid, but I just don’t find a lot of pleasure in knawing the kernels off the cob.  Armed with what I found in the garden and what was in the fridge, I came up with this quick sauté. It was delicious.  If you’re like my Mom and don’t like chevre, you could easily use a little parmesan or feta, or even no cheese at all!  Be creative, use what you have on hand and adjust the proportion of the ingredients to your taste!

For the Sweet Corn and Zucchini Sauté

olive oil for sautéing

salt and pepper

2 small zucchini, sliced in thirds and then diced

2 ears of corn, kernels sliced away from cob (Place the corn in a bowl, use a very sharp knife to cut the kernels away)

1 small, sweet onion

1 large Anaheim chile, chopped fine

1 diced tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

1-2 Tablespoons fresh basil chiffonade

2-4 Tablespoons crumbled chevre, or any other cheese you prefer

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan.  Sauté the diced onion and green chili until soft.  Add the zucchini and tomatoes.  (I also threw in a little purple salad onion I accidentally pulled up!)

Season with fresh ground salt and pepper.  Sauté about 5 minutes and layer the corn on top of the pan.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and let the corn steam, about 5 more minutes.  Do not over cook.   You want the corn to remain a little crispy.

When ready to plate, scoop onto a serving dish, garnish with the basil chiffonade and crumbled chevre.  Serving this at room temperature is perfectly fine.  Serve this over brown rice or quinoa for a hearty vegetarian main dish.

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