Pasta with Bacon and Corn

Not gonna lie, this was a good meal.  A really really good meal.  So good I had to call my parents to tell them how good the meal was, even though my mother doesn't really like it when I go all "foodie" on her.  I can't take credit for the idea, though.  Roomie made a corn pesto last week, which unfortunately I didn't taste.  But the thought of it: a corn puree with a bacon fat base.  Well, geez, now if that just doesn't drive you crazy with the possibilities, something is wrong with you. 

I wanted to make this with pancetta, but then I found out you can't get thick slabs of pancetta in any of the grocery stores near my house.  Only that dry pre-packed stuff.  So, bacon it was.  I was tempted to get the duck bacon at Giant Eagle, but I wasn't sure if it would go as well with the corn.  Still, duck bacon, I'm going to have to try that out.  

I made my own pasta for this dish, but I'm sure pre-made pasta will be equally delicious.  And don't skimp on the parsley.  It's normally not my favorite herb, but it complements the rich, salty base of the bacon fat super well.  

Pasta with Bacon and Corn

4 strips bacon
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kernels of four ears of corn, about 2.5 cups (frozen corn will work fine, too)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley (about half of a large bunch)
Shredded Parmesan

1 pound fettuccine or other thick cut, long pasta

1) In a large and deep saute pan or wok, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon strips, and keep fat on medium heat
2) Add the minced shallot and garlic, and cook for about a minute.
3) Add the corn kernels and toss until bacon grease and shallot cover everything.
4) Add the stock and cook until corn is tender, about 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and chop the cooked bacon into small bits, for garnish.
5) Remove about a cup of the whole corn kernels to save for garnish. Using an immersion blender or standing blender, puree the rest of the corn mixture until only slightly chunky (depending on your taste).  Return the sauce to the saute pan, and keep over low heat.
6) Cook the pasta. While pasta cooks, add lemon juice and half of the parsley to the pureed corn sauce.  Taste, and add salt and lemon juice as necessary.
7) In a large bowl, mix together pasta, corn puree, whole corn kernels, and chopped bacon.
8) Garnish with Parmesan and remaining parsley.

5 servings

Whole-Wheat Orzo with Marinated Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Shredded Chicken, and Corn

Roomie inspired me with her incredible (and incredibly easy) caprese pasta. Those tomatoes were sweet as candy! But, of course, I didn't want to copy her too much (tempted as I was), so I was looking for a similar idea with different flavors and textures. I decided to peruse one of my favorite cookbooks, Urban Italian, (which I lovingly refer to as "food porn") for some ideas on a dish where fresh cherry tomatoes would shine. I didn't want to roast them or make them into a sauce (why muddy up the flavor with too much cooking?) and a salad would just be a waste (salads, alas, are not my favorite way to eat). And there it was, a recipe for a fettuccine with marinated tomatoes and a goat cheese cream sauce. My curiosity was piqued.

Don't get me wrong, I love goat cheese. With caramelized onions on a tart, on top of a beet salad (a salad-type I do approve of), or spread onto a crostini with some slow roasted garlic and honey or apples. Mmm, mmm, good. But I'm not one of those people who can eat goat cheese with a spoon. The flavor can be a little intense for me. So while the idea of a goat cheese cream sauce sounded deliciously decadent, I decided it'd be better to take a more subtle approach with a scant sprinkling of crumbled cheese. Trade in the fettuccine for some whole wheat orzo (a texture I prefer) and throw in some chicken and corn to make the meal more complete and seasonally-friendly, and I had myself a pretty gosh darn satisfying dish for this summer-to-fall transition.

A few notes. First, I boiled my chicken because I had some locally-raised free range legs and thighs on hand. But, for vegetarians, you can leave out the chicken, and for those of you in a hurry, a store-bought rotisserie chicken will do just fine. Just ignore those parts of the recipe, and start straight in with the shredding. If you do decided to cook your chicken, be sure to save the liquid, as it makes a pretty easy chicken stock.

Second note: this meal is definitely on the sweeter side of savory. I mean, it's tomatoes, corn, balsamic vinegar, and tangy goat cheese. I liked it, and mine turned out pretty well-balanced for the ingredients used. Plus, in the summer/early fall heat, a little sweetness with a nice crisp wine ain't all bad. But, if you tend to like your food on the saltier side, this might not be for you. If you have any ideas on a good way to make the dish a little more savory, let me know!






Lastly, tomatoes are key here, so make sure you get some good ones! Enjoy!

Whole-Wheat Orzo with Marinated Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Shredded Chicken, and Corn

Marinated Tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper

Shredded Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, on the bone
1/2 onion, loosely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, whole
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme

8 oz. whole wheat orzo pasta
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles plus more for garnish
Chopped basil (for garnish)

1) In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, shallots, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Let it hang out while you do everything else.

2) In a large pot or dutch oven, bring a hefty amount of water to boil. Salt the water generously, and add the chicken, chopped onions, garlic cloves, thyme, and oregano. Boil until chicken is cooked thoroughly, about 30 minutes. Taste along the way to make sure the broth is salted enough.

3) Remove chicken to a large cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid of the onions and garlic, being sure to reserve the liquid. Return about half of the stock to the pot (to cook the orzo) and reserve the rest for a later cooking use.

4) When stock returns to a boil, add the orzo. While the orzo cooks, with two forks, shred the chicken. If you haven't done it before, it's basically like you're using a fork and knife, but with two forks. Also kind of like when you're fighting with someone over the last piece of dessert (but maybe that's just me...) You can also use your fingers if you feel like getting messy.

5) About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the corn to blanch it. Drain the corn and orzo together, and mix in the goat cheese until its all melted (it'll look like a thick cream sauce). Add the chicken and tomato mixture and toss until well combined.

6) Garnish with more basil and goat cheese, and devour immediately.



4 servings