Corn Cakes with Pulled Pork and Avocado-Tomato Relish

This is the ultimate summer meal. I took the idea of serving corncakes with pulled pork from Good Thymes and Good Food.   I got the idea of serving corncakes with tomato and avocadoes from Buns in My Oven.  I decided to combine the two with ultimate success.  The pulled pork was a spicy compliment to the sweet corn cake and the tangy relish topped off the mix beautifully.  I used my most recent recipe for pulled pork from the sandwich swap, but any recipe will do.  This recipe makes 6 corncakes.  Even C adored this meal.  He was skeptical at first, he thought we were having sandwiches, but he was not disappointed.  And neither was I...it was delicious.

Corn Cakes with Pulled Pork and Avocado-Tomato Relish

2 ears of corn, shucked
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon of minced onion
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Juice of half a lime
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Dash of hot sauce
1 tomato, cored and chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 recipe for Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork, or your favorite pulled pork recipe

Cut the corn from the cob into a bowl. Place one cup of the corn kernels in a food processor and pulse 3 to 5 times. Return the pureed corn to bowl with the remaining corn kernels. Add the flour, corn meal, onion, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Add the eggs, milk, and butter and stir until just combined.

Whisk together the lime juice, oil, vinegar and hot sauce. Toss the tomato and avocado with the lime juice mixture; salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan over medium-high heat. Spoon one quarter cup of batter into the hot pan and fry one to two minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined dish to drain.

Serve the corn cakes topped with the pulled pork and avocado-tomato relish.

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Chipotle Chicken Thighs

I heavily adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart. Next time, I will try it as her original recipe states and add rice to the pot. It would make for a lovely one pot dish.  I expected it to bring a little more heat with the addition of the chipotles in adobo, next time I may add an additional pepper.  The tomatoes turned out perfectly, even though C and Miss F refused to touch them.  Ah well, more for me.  Martha Stewart rarely disappoints, even with all my changes.

Chipotle Chicken Thighs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 chicken thighs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
½ medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced large

In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high. Season the chicken on both sides with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 6 minutes total and then transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add garlic, cumin, and chiles; cook until garlic is soft and fragrant, about a minute or so. Add tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices, about 3 minutes. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.

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Linguine with Tex-Mex Pepper Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe in the pasta swap that A Taste of Home Cooking hosted. I was out of town during the swap, so I wasn't able to participate. There were so many amazing pasta recipes shared, but this one really piqued my interest. The sauce had a great Tex-Mex flavor, though I will increase the heat next time with the addition of a chipotle pepper or two.   I stayed pretty true to the original recipe posted by Kate's Recipe Box.  This is such an easy weeknight meal, it comes together very quickly.  Though it does dirty a lot of dishes, it's totally worth it.

Linguine with Tex-Mex Pepper Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound linguine pasta
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup cilantro, plus more for garnish
4 ounces can mild diced green chiles
2/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and salt to the pan; cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

Place the pepper mixture into the bowl of a food processor along with sour cream, cilantro, green chiles, cheese, cayenne and black pepper. Puree until smooth scraping the sides as needed.

Toss the pasta with the sauce. Plate and garnish with cilantro.

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