I love when a recipe drops in my lap that calls for ingredients readily available in the garden. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s like grabbing the golden ring. This recipe for Penne with Poblano Chiles, Corn and Cilantro Cream highlights delicious summer flavors without spending too much time at the stove.
We used the one successful Poblano chile we’ve harvested so far (even though the recipe calls for two), and the last of the cilantro just beginning to bolt to seed. Corn we harvested earlier in the month that was a little too starchy to eat on the cob (waste not want not, right?) was perfect for this recipe.
Penne with Poblano Chiles, Corn, and Cilantro Cream
Vegetarian Times, September 2015
Ingredients
- 1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 1/2cups thawed frozen corn, divided
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
- 8 oz. penne
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 poblano chiles, halved, seeded, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 medium onion, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
Method
Put cilantro, 1/2 cup corn, cream, garlic and 1/2 tsp. cumin in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Cook your pasta according to package directions, then drain, reserving 3/4 cups of cooking liquid.
In a large skillet, heat oil and cook onion (we used home-grown red onions because we used up all the tiny white onions we grew this year), and chiles for 10 minutes, until the onion browns a bit.
Next, add the remaining corn and cumin…
Then add the pasta and cilantro cream and stir. Add cooking liquid if needed (we didn’t need to) to combine all ingredients.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss with cotija cheese. Serve and smile!
What a treat to be able to use homegrown onions, chiles, corn, garlic, and cilantro for this recipe. Even if those aren’t available, these ingredients are easy to source from a local market.
There were no leftovers.
