30-minute recipes

Corn Four Ways

SERVES 4 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Imagine the best, fresh-picked crops from your farmstand paired with polenta--and all ready for the table in minutes. This dish puts summer on the dinner plate, bolstered with a creamy tomato soup to start and a berry cobbler for dessert. That's a sure way to beat the heat.

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. tube polenta
1 3/4 cups (15 1/2-oz. can) hominy, drained
1 3/4 cups (11-oz. can) corn kernels,
  drained
1 1/2 cups (14-oz. can) whole baby corn,
  drained
1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder, or to taste
1/2 cup shredded soy or low-fat
  mozzarella cheese
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped,
for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium
heat. Slice polenta into 8 circles, and when
oil is hot, pan-fry on 1 side for 3 to 4 minutes,
or until browned. Turn over, and panfry
on second side for another 3 to 4
minutes, or until browned. Remove from
skillet, and arrange circles side by side on
individual plates.

2. Add hominy, corn kernels and whole
baby corn to skillet. Sprinkle with chili
powder and cheese, and saute for 2 to 3
minutes, or until heated through and
cheese has melted. Remove from heat.

3. To serve, spoon equal amounts of corn
mixture on plates over or between polenta
circles. Sprinkle each serving with lime
juice, and garnish with cilantro.

PER SERVING: 560 CAL; 16G PROT; 11G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 106G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 670MG SOD; 14G FIBER; 7G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

With the varieties of corn in this dish, a big, toasty Chardonnay is in order. Beringer Chardonnay would be excellent, but Chalk Hill is an even richer and more elegant choice.

Western Omelet

SERVES 4 30 MINUTES OR LESS

This variation on the Western omelet calls for a hearty mixture of potatoes, onion, "sausage" and red peppers folded into the eggs for double cooking. Country biscuits, orange juice and hot coffee make perfect partners for this breakfast entree.

2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/2 cup diced potato
1/2 cup diced onion
7 oz. soy "sausage," crumbled
1/2 cup diced red or green peppers
Salt and freshly ground pepper to
  taste
6 large eggs, separated
4 Tbs. shredded low-fat cheddar
  cheese
3 Tbs. minced parsley for garnish

1. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch
nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add
potatoes, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or
until potatoes begin to turn golden.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and add
remaining butter, onion, "sausage," peppers,
salt and pepper. Saute until onion and
"sausage" begin co brown, for about 4
minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Beat yolks until slightly thick. Beat
whites until foamy and slightly stiff. Fold
whites into yolks, and stir in 2 tablespoons
cheese. Pour eggs over "sausage" mixture.
Cook over medium heat until eggs begin
to firm on bottom, lifting edges of eggs and
letting uncooked eggs run underneath.

4. Put skillet under broiler, and cook egg
mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, or until top
begins to brown and eggs firm up
throughout. Remove from oven, and slide
omelet onto serving dish. Garnish with
remaining cheese and parsley before
serving.

PER SERVING: 390 CAL; 28G PROT; 24G TOTAL FAT (8G SAT. FAT); 15G CARB; 445MG CHOL; 540MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

A good Chardonnay, such as a Hogue Chardonnay from Washington state, always works well with omelets. This one is particularly smooth. A Pinot Noir would also go well, so consider the Edna Valley Pinot Noir, which is an affordable and well-balanced red. You could go either way with this dish.

Portobello Hero

SERVES 2 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Sliced flavorful mushrooms and red and green bell peppers accented with crumbled goat cheese work well as a sandwich filling, and their flavors are unified by the addition of garlic-basil pesto. A tossed green salad and fresh fruit round out the meal.

2 portobello mushroom caps, about
  5 oz. total
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips
2 kaiser rolls
1 1/2 Tbs. pesto
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
4 large red leaf lettuce leaves

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Scrape away black gills from mushroom
caps, and slice caps into thin strips. Set
aside. Heat oil in a large skillet, and saute
strips for about 5 minutes, or just until
slightly wilted. Add red and green bell pepper
strips, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, slice rolls almost completely
in half widthwise, spread bottom
half of each roll with 1/2 tablespoon pesto
and toast under broiler for about
2 minutes, or until just browned. Remove
from heat, and place opened rolls on
individual plates. Layer 2 lettuce leaves on
each bottom roll.

4. Add remaining pesto and goat cheese
to skillet, and stir until cheese melts and
coats mushroom and pepper strips, about
3 minutes more. Remove from heat,
spoon equal portions of mixture onto
one side of each roll and serve.

PER SERVING: 640 CAL; 27G PROT; 42G TOTAL FAT (18G SAT. FAT); 38G CARB; 65MG CHOL; 610MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 5G SUGARS