This skillet corn dish is so simple I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t thought of doing something like this myself. It consists only of chopped vegetables, balsamic vinegar, and a basil oil. I served this with mashed potatoes and rainbow trout fillets but it was equally delicious when I had it for lunch the next day - in the park. I love a good lunch option that does not require refrigeration or assemblage.
I adapted this recipe from The Adventures of MJ and Hungryman, adding in some chopped carrots and sliced red cabbage, as I had some in the fridge that needed using up.
Corn, like pineapple, is one of those things that I have only really cooked with from frozen. Perhaps because there is something intimidating about the unprocessed forms of some produce. Though less intimidating than a pineapple, I still was never quite sure what to do with those big ears of corn. The obvious answer may be to BBQ them whole, but I have an irrational fear of using a BBQ (though perhaps I am being too hard on myself, arguably it is perfectly rational to fear propane tanks).
The Adventures of MJ and Hungryman picture the corn being shaved with a knife while propped up on an overturned bowl that has been placed inside a larger bowl – I copied the technique in that photo and it worked perfectly.
If you were to read my blog from the beginning, you would probably notice a trend – in making dishes for my blog, I am using many ingredients for the first time. It seems that the range of foods that I am familiar with is relatively small. This results, partly, from growing up eating a standard North American diet (as most North Americans have), which generally consists of meat and potatoes and lots of processed, canned, and frozen foods.
A nice thing about this blog, is that it is helping me to get over that initial hurdle of unfamiliarity that would otherwise cause me to stay in my comfort zone. I am going for ingredients that I normally wouldn’t try, in part because I feel the pressure to post something. The fresh basil I used in the basil oil for this recipe is another example of this. I have, of course, used basil before, but never in its fresh form. Apparently fresh basil should not be kept in the fridge, I made the mistake of not researching how to store basil, left it in the fridge, and by the time I took it out a few days later, two thirds of it had gone brown. Luckily there was just enough left for this recipe. Lesson learned, when using new ingredients, google them first.
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Skillet Corn, Zucchini, and Tomatoes with Basil Oil
This skillet corn dish is so simple I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t thought of doing something like this myself. It consists only of chopped vegetables, balsamic vinegar, and a basil oil.
Ingredients:
For the Basil Oil
- 1/2 Cup Basil
- 2 Tb Olive Oil
- Pinch of Salt
For the Skillet Corn
- 3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
- 1/2 Small Red Onion (diced)
- 4-5 Ears of Corn (shaved)
- 1/4 Small Head of Red Cabbage (thinly sliced)
- 2 Carrots (chopped)
- 3 Small Zucchini (diced)
- 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions:
- Boil a pot of water. Add basil, blanching for 10 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove basil from boiling water and place into a bowl of ice water, pat excess water from basil. In a food processor or blender, blend basil, oil, and salt until smooth. Set Aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, about 30 seconds. Add corn, zucchini, carrots, and cabbage. Cook, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and vinegar, cook about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove vegetables from heat, stir in basil oil, and serve.
