I submitted a recipe last year for the Dane County Farmer’s Market newsletter using fresh, locally grown produce as well as ravioli from RP’s here in Madison. So here is an adaptation of that recipe, since summer is winding down and you’re looking for ways to stretch the last of the sweet corn as well as your tomatoes and zucchini that are very much in season right now.

Ingredients
1 lb. dry or fresh pasta
2 ears corn on the cob
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
½ cup diced zucchini
¼ cup minced basil leaves
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions, and drain, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Cook corn in salted boiling water for about 6 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut off kernels and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic, fry for 15-20 seconds. Add tomato, corn and zucchini and cook for 3-4 minutes. (Yes, it’s a lot of oil, but it will be absorbed by the pasta and cheese, and olive oil is supposedly good for your arteries.) Add the basil leaves, then the pasta, cooking water, and finally the cheese. Heat for a minute or two or until warmed through, add the salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Serves 3-4

I’m not a big seafood guy, so this is my version of “shrimp and grits”–it’s grilled vegetables over cheese grits. It’s simple, satisfying and a great light meal for the summer months.

All you need are some grits, a good sharp cheddar cheese, and some veggies to throw on the grill. I had received an awesome box of produce from our CSA (community supported agriculture) from Driftless Organics–and in it were zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, onions and banana peppers among other things. So I used all of those as well as a red bell pepper I bought at the farmer’s market.

Here is what to do……cook grits according to package directions for four servings, and add 1 cup of shredded cheddar at the end of the cooking process. Stir until cheese melts and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut vegetables (enough for 4 servings) into large chunks, spray with olive oil or cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly charred with nice grill marks. Divide grits among bowls, top with some veggies, and then throw a few cherry tomatoes on top (we also got these from Driftless…you can grill these too but it’s not necessary), and then splash with hot sauce.

That’s it. This is an easy and really tasty dish. Of course, the sharper the cheese, the better. And the hotter the hot sauce, the better. Enjoy!