CSA Box #9: Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn, Tomatoes and Jalapeno

Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn, Tomatoes and Jalapeno

Each week, my CSA Box has been getting heavier and heavier, which is a good thing. I remember the very first box which was unexpectedly light. After a slow start, my CSA Box has been getting fuller by the week.

This week's CSA Box #9 featured wax beans, zucchini, basil, cauliflower, an assortment of cucumbers, corn on the cob, salad turnips, carrots, scallions, mixed salad greens, tomatoes, a jalapeno pepper, and a garlic bulb.

Carrots, Salad Turnips, Scallions, Basil, Garlic and a Jalapeno Pepper came in CSA Box #9.

Zucchini, Cucumbers, Cauliflower, Corn, and Tomatoes also came in CSA Box #9.

Fresh Salad Greens have been in my CSA Box almost every week.

I've been getting lots of zucchini and cucumbers lately, and have been trying different ways to enjoy these two vegetables, while keeping things interesting. I made some Zucchini Pancakes to start which were especially good with some Cucumber and Tomato Tzatziki. I also got lots of corn, so we enjoyed it steamed, as a salad mixed with scallions, tomatoes, olive oil and rice vinegar, and in this Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn and Jalapeno.

Wax Beans were featured in this week's CSA Box.

With such a nice variety of vegetables in my CSA Box this week, I've found that combining as many of these beautiful fresh vegetables in one dish is the best way to enjoy them, whether it's in a salad or a pasta dish like this one.

In fact, this past week, my husband's softball team came over twice after their games, and someone actually asked for some vegetables! Of course, I obliged and threw together a fresh green salad with cucumbers and tomatoes from my CSA Box one night, and a fresh corn salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and scallions the next night. I teased one of the guys who notoriously loves meat, "I made some vegetables just for you!" He actually had some salad...small steps, baby steps.

Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn and Jalapeno

Adapted from Fine Cooking. The original recipe calls for green beans, but since I had wax beans from my CSA Box, that's what I used. I used gluten-free pasta which often comes in 12-ounce boxes. I also added a tomato from my CSA Box for some brightness and color.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces gluten-free pasta
• 1 1/2 cups fresh green beans or wax beans trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

This pasta dish uses lots of fresh summer vegetables.

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. 
2. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onion is very soft and a light golden brown, about 15 minutes more. If onion begins to look like it's burning, add 2 tablespoons warm water and lower the heat.
3. Cook pasta until pasta is just shy of al dente, adding beans to the pasta water in the last minute of cooking. 
4. While pasta cooks, add corn and jalapeno to the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn kernels begin to soften, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta and beans in a colander.
6. Return the pasta, beans and 2 tablespoons of the reserved water to the pot. 
7. Add the onion mixture and toss over medium heat until the beans are crisp-tender and the pasta is perfectly al dente, 1-2 minutes.
8. Add tomatoes and toss until tomatoes are just warmed through.
9. Add more pasta water as necessary to keep the dish moist.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 3-4.