Toward summer’s end, I get tired of corn on the cob. When that happens, I like to cut the cooked kernels from the cobs and make flavorful mixtures of corn, aromatic vegetables, herbs and spices.

In this case, I use jalapeno peppers and cumin to give the corn a little kick. It’s enough to flavor the dish but not so much that it detracts from the sweetness of the corn. Tomatoes and cilantro round things out.

Additional Photos

Corn cut from the cob is the top choice for Jalapeno Corn Saute, but frozen, defrosted kernels can also work. The Washington Post

I prefer to use the corn cut from the cob, but when fresh corn isn’t available, frozen corn that has been defrosted may be substituted. If you’d like to keep the dish vegetarian, water or white wine can be substituted for the chicken broth.

MAKE AHEAD: The corn can be cooked and cut from the cob, and the vegetables and herbs chopped, a day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.

JALAPENO CORN SAUTE

Makes about 4 cups (five ¾-cup servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small (4-ounce) onion, cut into ¼-inch dice (1 cup)

2 large jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded, then cut into 1/8-inch dice (¼ cup)

Salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

8 ounces plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then cut into roughly ½-inch dice (see note)

1/3 cup homemade or no-salt-added chicken broth

Kernels cut from 4 large ears of cooked fresh corn (3 cups)

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeno; season with salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium; cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the cumin; mix to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes just start to soften.

Add the broth and corn; season with pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is heated through and most of the broth has evaporated. Remove from the heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of the cilantro and mix to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve warm, garnished with the remaining tablespoon of cilantro.

NOTE: To peel the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to cut an “X” at the bottom of each one. Submerge in just-boiled water for less than 1 minute; the skin will start to loosen. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off and discard the skins.

Nutrition per ¾-cup serving: 100 calories, 3 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

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