Yet another way to use the abundance of sweet corn and heirloom tomatoes - this pasta does have a tomato sauce on it, but I used the luminous Great White Heirloom tomato from this past Saturday's Worthington Farmer's Market, which is almost succulent in its sweetness and very low in acid. The sauce here is brothy and sweet, a perfect match for the sweet corn and the shrimp, although the shrimp can be left out or replaced with chicken with success. While Husband was in Italy, he was informed that although polenta is served, one would never serve actual corn to a guest; I don't know if they have sweet corn as we do, or only grain corn. Maybe someone can fill me in. If they do have sweet corn but don't eat it, then it's truly their loss.
Yellow Pasta
4 ounces dry whole wheat penne pasta (or whatever short pasta you fancy)
1 large Heirloom tomato - yellow is not important, but a few good yellows are Great White, White Queen, and Snow White Cherry) peeled and chopped into 1" chunks
6 ounces frozen rock shrimp (preferably wild-caught, available at Trader Joe's for $5.99 a pound, compared to $14.99 at my Giant Eagle)
Cooking Spray
2 small spring onions, or 1 large white or red onion, halved and sliced thinly
1/4 mildish chili pepper, such as poblano, or 1 tbsp chopped canned chipotle pepper, small dice
pinch sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 cup (1-2 ears) sweet corn
1/2 large ball fresh mozzarella, chopped into 1/2" bits
good olive oil
salt
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously add salt. Cut an X on the opposite of the stem end of the tomato, and place it in the boiling water for 30-40 seconds and remove to paper towels. Add the frozen shrimp to the water and boil for 3 minutes, remove to a bowl and set aside. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions. When the tomato has cooled a bit, remove the skin and chop.
In the meantime, heat a large saute pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the onions and saute for a minute or two, and then add the diced chili; sprinkle with salt and a pinch of sugar. When the onions are almost translucent, add the crushed garlic and stir. Add the vegetable stock to deglaze the pan, and then add the chopped tomato. Simmer, uncovered, for about 5-7 minutes, or until some of the liquid cooks off; if the mixture looks really thin, add a little of the pasta water (a tablespoon or so) to help thicken it (but the sauce should still be a little thin). Add the corn and cook for 3 more minutes, then add the shrimp. Add the pasta and toss to coat, then add the mozzarella and stir to melt just a bit. Transfer the pasta to serving dishes and drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
