Corn and Zucchini Saute

Sorry kids, no menu this week. I'll be back online soon with some very exciting posts.

To keep you sated until my return, here's a great way to use the bumper crops of zucchini and corn that are coming in now.

Corn and Zucchini Saute with Mint (inspired by Fine Cooking magazine)

For two:

• 3 ears of corn, shucked
  
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut into medium dice (about 1/2")
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• handful of mint, chopped

Cut the corn kernels off the cobs. (There is no way to do this neatly: I have tried the deep bowl, cobs cut in half, and mandoline methods. Just commit yourself to cleaning corn juice off your cabinets.)

In a large skillet (at least 10" - if you double this recipe, use a big big skillet, 14" or so), heat some olive oil over high heat. Saute the shallots until starting to brown. Add the zucchini and continue to saute until browned (this part is to your taste - depending on the night and the timing of the rest of the meal I may saute the zucchini to dark golden brown. Other nights, a light blond is all I'll do.). In general, the smaller the cubes of zucchini, the faster the cooking time.

Once the zucchini is done to your liking, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the corn. Continue to cook until the corn is heated through - you aren't cooking, so much as warming the corn: it should stay a little crunchy.

Stir in the mint and season with salt and pepper to taste. This is best freshly made, but the leftovers are nice too.

Note: You can tart this up a bit by adding hot peppers (with the zucchini), goat cheese (at the end), lime or lemon juice and/or changing the herbs. You can make this with leftover cooked corn on the cob, but you won't get the nice crunchy/cooked counterpoint with the zucchini.