There’s nothing that says the end of summer more (except maybe of a glut of tomatoes – have you seen all my tomato posts, lol!) than the end of Sweet Corn season. It’s a sad day when the abundance of corn withers away to a dribble, then there’s nothing left but a few lonely ears in the bottom of the huge boxes that stand in so many produce departments. That’s when I think of my End of Summer Corn Chowder.
End of Summer Corn Chowder
I’ve been up and down my family tree and like many Americans, I’m a crazy mix up of genes, but one thing I don’t have is a drop of Swedish blood. I do, however, live in Minnesota, you betcha, home of a large Swedish population and home of the American Swedish Institute. And I can attest that Swedish Meatballs are very popular in the Twin Cities, especially during the Holidays.
When I make my marvelous Shrimp Po’ Boys (adapted from Tyler Florence) I always take a minute to whip up extra of this little spice mixture used in those Po’ Boys. I call it Hot & Smokin’ Po’ Boy Spice. Actually, I don’t limit this spice mixture to just Po’ Boys; I’ve started mixing it up even when I am not making them and started using it on all kinds of things. I like it so much it’s kinda become a signature “house” seasoning at my place.
Hot & Smokin’ Po Boy Spice
This simple bread crumb, herb and olive oil topping works well with almost all fish and takes seconds to make…the idea was “stolen” from Tyler Florence who used it on a belly of Wild Atlantic Salmon. Sorry, salmon, you’ve just turned into budget friendly Tilapia.
Tilapia with Crusted Herb Topping
Here’s the thing about Ratatouille – it’s originally a Provencal vegetable stew, and like any stew, just calls out for the personalized touch. Don’t like eggplant – who cares? Peppers aren’t your thing? Use something else. I think you’ll love this version, roughly adapted from Tyler Florence. We do.
Ratatouille