The Long and The Short of It

OK, I write very long posts. My husband would agree.  And my grammar is horrible, I know.  I could use an editor.  I do my best to try and catch my mistakes, but heck, I'm human.  Even spell check can get it wrong sometimes. For example, it kept flagging "tomatillo" as a misspelled word in this post. Besides, I'm not writing my blog to win an essay contest.  I just like to cook and I want to share my experiences and recipes with you in hopes that it will inspire you to cook.  As for my long posts, I guess I have a lot to say. So, I''ll try to manage the lengths of my posts better.

So, I really don't have a story that goes along with these recipes that I am sharing with you today, so this is the short part. The inspiration to try these recipes comes from what's available at the market right now, and they are easy and summery. They do have some ingredients in common. They both use fresh corn and tomatillos. The Grilled Corn Chowder that I made was a huge hit, and I used the poblano peppers from my garden.  I lightened up the calories by not using flour or cream. If you want a creamier texture then add cream, but reduce the amount of stock you use. My daughter had two helpings of the chowder and she had it for lunch the next day.  The second recipe I made a few weeks ago when I grilled some flank steak.  This Chunky, Corn and Tomatillo Salsa was awesome on top. This would also be delicious on grilled chicken.  I hope you try them both and that you have been enjoying the summer so far. M :)

Grilled Corn Chowder (Adapted from Recipe.com/Better Homes and Garden, July 2013)

4 ears fresh corn, husked, silk removed and rinsed
2 poblano peppers
4 tomatillos, husks removed
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
16 ounces chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 small yellow potatoes, cooked in microwave, diced and divided in two portions
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small jalapeno pepper, minced
Olive oil
Optional toppings: Avocado, cilantro, sour cream

Fire up the grill.  Lightly brush vegetables with olive oil and cook corn until tender (and has some light charred color), and poblano peppers and tomatillos until they have a medium charred appearance.  This may take 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool.  Once cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs, dividing into two portions and seed and chop peppers, separating in two portions too. In a large saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Over medium high heat cook onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add cumin and 1 portion of corn, 1 potato, 1 poblano pepper and 1 cup of broth.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Place grilled tomatillos in blender and transfer 3/4 of mixture from pan and puree.  If mixture is too thick and won't blend add a little extra broth.  Return mixture to pan. Add remaining corn, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, potato and broth. Adjust seasonings. Simmer low for 15 to 20 minutes.  Garnish with avocado, cilantro or sour cream.  Serves 4.


Chunky Avocado, Corn and Tomatillo Salsa

1/2 ripe avocado, cut in small chunks
3 tomatillos, roasted on grill
1 green onion, white and green parts chopped
8 grape tomatoes, cut in half
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 ear of corn, husked, silk removed, roasted on grill, kernels removed
Salt to taste
Optional - chopped cilantro

Puree tomatillos in blender. Mix tomatillo puree with the rest of ingredients.  Adjust seasonings. Enjoy as a salsa, or as a topping for steak or chicken.  Serves 4.

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