One Dip and One Spread

Salsa and Labneh

“Salad Days”, 14 x 11, Vicki Smith

Hello,

My husband returned from a sweet corn run looking rather crestfallen. He had been told that there would be no more corn this season and that he was the customer that they were most loath to give this information to. Obviously, he must wear his love for sweet corn on his sleeve. (Where did that expression come from?) They did give him a tip about another farm where he might try his luck, and they shared suggestions for how he might freeze the corn in the future. That led to some additional disappointment, as their methods did not include freezing the corn on the cob.

The sweet corn was procured, and a friend of my husband’s who is handy in the kitchen provided him with instructions and offered to vacuum-pack the corn for freezing. We worked together to shuck a dozen ears, boiled them for one minute, and dropped them in an icy bath for ten minutes. The ears were dried with a bath towel, vacuum-packed, and are safely stored in the basement freezer. When removed from the freezer, they go directly into a pot of boiling water. Eventually, I will share the results.

The temperature has not dropped below freezing, so homegrown tomatoes are still available for purchase. I can’t think of a better lunch than sliced tomato on toast with mayo. The price has also dropped to about half of what it was in July. Our favorite Mexican restaurant (in Frenchtown, of all places) always serves delicious, fresh salsa, and it is so easy to make. The salsa and labneh, already in the refrigerator, came in handy one evening when dinner prep was running behind schedule. This was the first time I had tried my hand at making labneh, a tangy cheese similar in texture to goat cheese made from yogurt. The link provides excellent instructions. Pita wedges or a crusty bread would work well with the labneh. The corn chips were a bit too delicate. The second time I tried my hand at making labneh, I added one clove of finely minced garlic, fresh parsley, chives, and a splash of lime and olive oil.

Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

3 cups of fresh, diced tomatoes

1 cup of diced red onion

1/2 cup diced yellow or orange pepper

2 T. fresh lime juice

4 t. finely minced jalapeno with the seeds

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

Directions

Toss all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate for two to three days.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting, and sharing!!

Vicki