Corn Succotash

It’s the end of summer. We just passed Labor Day and for the first time in a long time I am truly sad to see summer wind down. Living in the Bay Area for eight years I actually forgot about seasons! You see right now the weather is just about to become gorgeous in Northern California. They have an “indian summer” meaning that the warmest months are September and October. Now that I am living in the Pacific Northwest I feel a serious weather change. It cooled down substantially. Those days of 90 degrees are not coming back for many, many months. The other huge change is the sunlight! It was incredible to dine outside every night for the past two months and be out on the deck until 9 or 10 PM sitting under the stars, sharing a meal, and having great conversation. Now, by 8PM I’m too cold to be out there and tonight we actually ate… inside!

We still are using our outdoor grill because I refuse to not cook on there until the rain starts. I absolutely love the char on vegetables and fish. We had some Alaskan Salmon fillets and a home-run corn succotash. My favorite part? We used a bunch of last week’s leftover grilled zucchini that was on it’s way to the compost bin if we didn’t save it. Feel free to use fresh grilled or roasted zucchini and not wait a week to eat it up! 

Corn Succotash

Makes 4 servings

3 corn on the cob

2 Tb olive oil

1 Tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 zucchini

1 jalapeno

3 oz Cotija cheese, crumbled

½ lime

4-6 basil leaves (substitute cilantro if you like)

Light up the grill and heat to 350F or higher. Meanwhile, finely chop the jalapeno, cotija, and basil into a medium sized serving bowl. It’s all going into one bowl so family style works great here! Once the grill is very hot, grilled the zucchini and corn until charred but still have a crunch. If this is the peak of summer, these vegetables should be really fresh so you’ll want to taste that! Leave on the grill for 2-3 minutes per side.

Chop the zucchini into ¼” size pieces and holding the corn cobs vertically cut the corn kernels right into the serving bowl. Hit the entire bowl with the olive oil, lime, cracked pepper, and salt to taste and then give it a big stir. At this point, taste for seasoning and while still warm serve at the table. This succotash makes the perfect leftovers the next day to eat right out of the fridge!

Chicken Satay with Quick Peanut Sauce

In the last few years I have been so fortunate to have visited Indonesia twice. The country is filled with incredible spices (ie:nutmeg, cinnamon, cacao) and other agriculture such as coffee and rice. While on my honeymoon, my husband Ben and I did a farm trek in the central mountains. We learned so much about how generations of farmers use grafting to yield easier harvesting practices and how they carve out families' plots on shared farmland. It is truly inspiring! 

The food there is fantastic. I will never forget the coconut chocolate ice cream made from from the nut and bean on the eco-farm we stayed at. Many fresh spices and herbs are used to provide each vegetable, dessert, and protein with layers of flavor. Think heat from chilies and garlic, color from turmeric and chocolate, and sweetness from fruit like starfish and coconut. So much grows there it is truly awesome!

I was inspired by Indonesian flavors to come up with a simple marinade and dipping sauce to turn chicken into a Southeast Asian experience. Try out a new adventure with this recipe!

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Serves 2

2 Organic chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 inch piece ginger or galangal

4 cloves garlic

1 inch piece turmeric (or 1 TSP dried)

1 jalapeno

1 lemongrass stalk

Vermicelli noodles

3 persian or japanese cucumbers or 1 English cucumber

Fresh cilantro and/or fresh mint

2 TB vegetable oil, plus extra for the vermincelli noodles

1 TB soy sauce

1 TB fish sauce

4 Cup water

½ Cup Unsalted peanuts

Kosher salt

Rough chop the garlic, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, and jalapeno. For the lemongrass, remove the tough outer layer and use only the bottom ⅓ of the stalk. If you have a mortar and pestle, put half those ingredients inside and pound into a smooth paste. If not, you can chop by hand or add the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Add to a pyrex or ziplock bag. Cube the chicken if you plan to layer onto skewers or slice the chicken breast lengthwise in half and add to the marinade. Refrigerate 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Toast the peanuts in a saute pan or in a 400F until fragrant and they release their oils. You can also buy already roasted peanuts to alleviate this step! Place the peanuts, water, soy sauce, fish sauce, and remaining fresh spices into the same blender or food processor if you used one. Blend for several minutes until creamy and smooth. Taste at this point and check to salt, add pinch by pinch until it suits your taste. At this point, increase the heat level by adding more chopped chili or chili oil. Set the peanut sauce aside in a dish with saran wrap until ready to serve.

Light a charcoal or wood burning grill, once scorching hot, grill the chicken on each side 5 minutes until it’s a bit charred. It should smell very fragrant. Heat a kettle and follow the instructions for the noodles exactly. Toss in a tablespoon or two of canola or sesame oil. On the same platter, add your peanut sauce.

Slice or cut your cucumbers into large bite-sized chunks and add to the platter. Top with freshly picked cilantro and mint. For the last piece, add your skewers or slices of chicken breasts on top of the noodles. Serve hot. This dish is killer with some ice cold beers!