CORN ON THE COB WITH BASIL-PESTO BUTTER
Makes 3 to 6 servings
From Gretchen Mckay.
For pesto:
2 cups packed basil leaves 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup olive oil, or more to taste Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes Kosher salt
For corn:
6 ears freshly shucked corn 4 tablespoons softened butter Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional
To make pesto: In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except salt and pulse until smooth but still a bit chunky, about 1 minute. Add a little more olive oil if it seems too thick. Taste and add salt as needed.
If not using right away, store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You also can freeze the pesto in ice cube trays; add a drop of olive oil to the top of each cube and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add corn and cook 5 minutes.
While corn is cooking, mix softened butter with 2 tablespoons pesto.
Brush (or slather) pesto butter on top of cooked corned. If desired, sprinkle buttered ears with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Note: A nutritional analysis is not available.
Makes 4 servings
Adapted from hostthetoast.com.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces green beans, cut into
1-inch pieces
½ small yellow onion or 2 shallots, cut
into thin slices
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 fresh red Thai chilies, deseeded and finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, coarsely chopped
1½ to 2 cups lightly packed basil
leaves
Jasmine rice, to serve
Heat the oil in a wok or heavy, highwalled skillet over high heat. As the wok is heating up, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar until well-combined. Set aside.
Add the bell pepper and green beans to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the onion, garlic and chilies. Cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add in the chicken and stir-fry, breaking apart as you go, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the prepared sauce. Continue to cook until the sauce begins to glaze onto the meat, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
Stir in the Thai basil leaves and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, the basil is wilted and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Serve warm with rice. Taste and add more chile flakes if it is not adequately spicy.
(Thai basil chicken, not surprisingly, calls for Thai basil, a variety that has a slightly spicy, anise-like flavor. I substituted Italian basil because that is what is growing in my garden. It was still delicious.)
Note: A nutritional analysis is not available.