SPRING HAS SPRUNG!  I have officially crawled out from under my hibernation rock and I am a fully participating human again!  Unlike the rest of my family, the yellow haze of pollen does not bother me.  The sight of the yellow dust on my car is only a reminder that the days are longer, the skies are bluer, and it’s AZALEA SEASON!  I no longer have to wear thermals under my clothes.  I have switched out my dark and dingy fleece sweats, aka “my uniform”, for bright cheery sundresses and shorts.  Oh happy days!

As soon as daylight savings kicks in, I kick into high gear with my herb garden and cooking.  While I love the hot and savory comfort foods associated with winter and cold weather, I absolutely adore “summer foods”.  That’s anything on the grill matched with lots of fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs!  Every spring I plant an herb garden.

Because I live in Georgia, the herbs I plant in April will flourish and produce throughout the spring and summer and into the fall.  I have found that every recipe is elevated to a new and improved level with fresh herbs. While I aspire to have a raised garden one day, I find it just as rewarding to use pots.  I typically use basic terra-cotta planters/pots.  Terra-cotta pots are very inexpensive and their porous nature allows for air and water to move through the walls, preventing soil disease and root rot. I prefer terra-cotta though I also mix and match with various sized pots and planters. A few years ago we moved into a rental home with no yard but a really nice back deck overlooking the woods and a lake cove.  I found a galvanized cattle feeder that I propped up with cinder blocks and placed various pots next to it.  It looked great and worked brilliantly.

Herbs are easy; they basically grow like weeds. As long as you don’t place them in direct sunlight, you are golden!  And, as a bonus, the more you use them, the more they produce.  I will only use fresh herbs in certain dishes, so it hurts my feelings every winter when I have to buy fresh herbs in the grocery store.  You get such a small amount for the price!  When you grow your own herbs, you get a lot of bang for your buck. You will be amazed with how quickly and abundantly they grow.

One of my favorite summer recipes is a sauce of blistered tomatoes and sweet corn served over angel hair pasta. During my 20’s, I lived and worked in Atlanta.  The inspiration for this dish was from one of my favorite restaurants for lunch, Mick’s in Buckhead. When I would go there, I would always order the same thing, Corn and Tomato Linguine.

It was so good and filling that I could eat half and save the rest for another meal.  I found it was even better the next day.  I didn’t cook at all back then, but I did remember some of the ingredients and, after several attempts, I finally mastered it. I make this dish on a very regular basis during the spring and summer.  While Mick’s version used butter and linguine,  I use extra virgin olive oil (with a small pat of butter) and angel hair pasta.  I also serve the this special versatile sauce over grilled chicken, pork or fish. I have even served it over spaghetti squash–amazing!

Having an herb garden on my back porch and some staples in my pantry, I always have the ingredients to make this delicious, fresh pasta dish. And for this dish, you have to use only FRESH herbs–never dried herbs. You simply cannot beat the clean taste and distinct aroma of fresh picked basil and parsley—it screams SUMMER!  It is also one of my fastest recipes to make. 

The prep and cook time mirrors the time it takes to make the pasta—about 15 minutes from the time you start until the time you sit down at the table.  Which is perfect when you want to spend more time on the deck than in the kitchen, but you still want a home cooked meal.

Make this meal for a quick lunch or dinner, no matter how many guests you’re hosting. I promise you will be surprised with the ease and flavor of this dish.  ENJOY!

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Blistered Tomatoes and Sweet Corn Pasta

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2/3 c olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tbsp butter salted
• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 4 garlic cloves freshly minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper freshly ground
• 1 15oz can sweet kernel corn drained
• .5 oz fresh parsley finely chopped
• .5 oz fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 angel hair pasta
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese shredded (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high heat

2. Add garlic, corn, salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute

3. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes-until tomatoes are "blistered"

4. Add fresh parsley and basil and stir gently

5. Spoon tomato corn mixture over pasta and serve immediately

Recipe Notes

Time Saving Trick:  Use scissors to cut your basil and parsley.  Feel free to use as much parsley, basil and garlic as you like.  This recipe is very flexible.  

• If you do not want pasta, this tomato corn "sauce" is delicious over grilled chicken, fish or pork.  I have even served it over spaghetti squash...amazing!