Corn Cakes and Amazing Salsa

Image and recipe from here.

This is what we had for dinner last night. I found the recipe in Pinterest, of course. We enjoy eating meatless meals a couple times a week and this was the best meatless choice we've bade in a long time. It was like an infusion of fresh fun for the taste buds. Now, that's not my picture above but I'm not kidding when I say mine looked just like that. I even plated them nicely but ours were served with a side of fresh blueberries.

Do note that if my kids were eating the salsa, I'd have doubled it. We had a few left over, plus the ones my kids ate that didn't have salsa, and the salsa was totally gone. You've been warned.

Summer Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Adapted from “Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen”

Makes about 12 large cakes; serves 6 to 8 as a side and 4-6 as a main dish

• 3 ears corn, shucked
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C. cornmeal
• 1/4 C. diced red onion (this was good, but next time I’ll try green onion)
• 1/4 C. thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 T. well-shaken buttermilk or 2 T. of any milk
• 2 T. unsalted butter, melted
• Canola oil, for frying
• Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa (recipe follows)

1. Cut the corn from the cobs into a large bowl, and scrape the stripped cobs with the back of the knife (or a spoon) to release the juices into the bowl.
2. Place 2 cups of the corn kernels (for me that was nearly all the corn) into a food processor, and pulse several times, until the corn is slightly pureed but still chunky. Scrape into the bowl with the remaining corn kernels.
3. Add flour, cornmeal, onion, basil, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper to the corn. Stir to mix.
4. Add the eggs, buttermilk and butter, and stir just to combine. (Do not overmix.)
5. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough canola oil to barely cover the bottom, and heat until sizzling hot.
6. One heaping tablespoon at a time, scoop the batter into the skillet. Cooking in batches of 4 to 5 to avoid overcrowding, fry the cakes 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
7. Drain on the lined baking sheet. Serve warm topped with a heap of Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa.

Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 large tomato, cored and chopped
• 1 scallion, trimmed and minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and diced (I was happy with 1/4 of the pepper)
• 1 T. chopped fresh basil
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 1/2 t. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 t. white wine vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1. Place all of the ingredients (except the avocado) in a bowl, and stir to mix. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, for up to 2 days.
2. Just before serving, add the avocado, and mix gently.

Zucchini Pie

Zucchini is one of those things I can't get enough of in the summer. When I found this recipe I knew I had to try it and so I did... and we eat it regularly. It's easy, fast, has a great flavor, and it makes all the mouths in my house (and some other houses) happy. It is easily doubled and makes for easy sharing if you have to bring a meal to someone for whatever reason.

Compliments of Dinners for a Year.

1 pie crust, unbaked
Dijon mustard
1/4 cup butter
4 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese, I used a combination sharp cheddar and mozzarella
2 extra large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line a pie plate with the pie crust and brush with Dijon mustard. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saute pan and add zucchini and onion. Saute for about 8 minutes. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic salt. Toss to coat. Should look something like this:


Cool slightly and then add cheese and eggs and mix. Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Now for Kelly's notes:

If you want to keep it a little simpler, just add a couple shakes of season salt, a pinch of dried oregano, and some dried parsley. It's a different taste, for sure, but it's still very yummy.

Also, you can use a frozen pie crust but there are two issues with that. The first is that sometimes a frozen crust isn't going to cook evenly on the bottom. In this way, you kind of chance it if you use frozen. Second, the come in packages of two and I don't think they keep very long so you'll want to either double the recipe or make another pie. Both good solutions!