Archives for November 2014

I can’t believe it’s already November. I haven’t posted a recipe here since August! I admit though, I haven’t been cooking as much at home and have been dining out a lot because of my hectic days in September and October. And now, here we are approaching the holidays. Honestly though as soon as it turns November I think I am in holiday mode. It’s the time of year that people all reach out to their family and friends to try to connect and celebrate, which means it’s great rationalization to try new recipes out.

At the farmers market there is still some corn left, and so I hurried to make this recipe. The use of corn here is the main sauce, almost like a pesto recipe but using corn instead of basil (although there is still plenty of basil, just not in the sauce itself!). F really liked this dish because it wasn’t super cheesy, and I liked celebrating corn while it’s about to finish its season. It also takes advantage of the last of the cherry tomatoes before it’s time to batten down the hatches.

The original recipe comes from Lillian Julow in Gainesville Florida that I saw in Taste of Home. That original recipe includes bacon and uses bacon drippings with fettuccine, so you might want to check out her version if you are not vegetarian and that intrigues you.

But to make it vegetarian instead I swapped it out by using grilled corn kernels. If using fresh corn is too time consuming for you, use thawed frozen corn and roast it in a skillet with a little butter until the corn just begins to brown.

I love the colors of this dish too.

Ingredients:

• 20 ounces of refrigerated ravioli (I used Giovanni Ravioli Caprese Duet, in your refrigerated section, this one is stuffed with either basil pesto or caprese and mozzarella, and offers two colors, green and white! I’m a fan of the various ravioli of this brand as there are many options, such as also their artichoke, mushroom, chicken rosemary and more)
  
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels after being grilled in the husk (or you could use thawed frozen corn as well)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional to taste
• 1/3 cup unsalted toasted almonds (I recommend toasting them yourself as it tastes better and makes the house smell wonderful. Always make extra because you will snack on some)
• 1/3 cup olive oil for the pasta sauce, plus an extra drizzle on the pasta
• 1 cup of fresh basil chiffonade (see here how to chiffonade a basil leaf)
• Two handfuls or so of grape tomatoes, cut in half
  

Directions:

1. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for a couple minutes and then drain from water and toss with a quick drizzle of olive oil so the pasta does not stick. Reserve at least a cup or so of the pasta water to marry the sauce later.
2. In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. After removing the corn from the cob after grilling it, or after thawing your frozen corn kernels, add it to the melted butter along with the 3 minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and dill. Stir over medium-high heat until everything is well incorporated.
3. Remove 3/4 a cup of the corn mixture to reserve for later. With the rest of the corn mixture, add it to a food processor, along with the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, toasted almonds, and 1/3 cup olive oil. Process until well blended. You’ll notice here that for this corn sauce, it essentially is like a pesto in using corn, olive oil, and toasted almonds (instead of pine nuts). I personally always do the olive oil glugging last so that I can continue to taste it and get it to a consistency I like (although keep in mind some of the pasta water will also be added to marry the sauce with the pasta). F is not a fan of pestos that have too much oil, which is why I only used 1/3 but if it had just been me I might have added more.
   
4. Return the processed corn portion to the skillet and add the reserved 3/4 of the unprocessed corn mixture and heat until everything softens. Then add the pasta and 3/4 cup of the chiffonade basil to the skillet and mix. Add a small bit of the pasta water at a time until the sauce is the consistency you want- I kept mine pretty thick and used maybe 3/4 cup of pasta water.
   
5. Add the halved grape tomatoes and toss. Top with the remaining Parmesan (optional) and basil and serve!
   

This dish serves four.

Although it’s almost time to say goodbye to tomatoes and corn, I know we are saying hello to so many squashes, romanesco and beets and other root vegetables.

What winter food are you looking forward to?

And what do you think of those refrigerated raviolis? I don’t mind making pasta myself if it’s just plain (like fettuccine, or spaghetti) but when it comes to stuffing them like tortellini or ravioli, I’m all into convenience, and there are so many interesting flavors out there! Do you have a favorite kind?