So-long Summer Pasta

With Labor Day around the corner and the inevitable end of summer along with it, I decided to make something that honors the deliciousness of the season with a tribute dish. The one thing that marks the arrival of summer for me is the gorgeous produce. I love walking through the farmer's markets and seeing plump crimson tomatoes, luscious peaches, strawberries that look so perfect you'd think they were air brushed! Don't get me wrong, I welcome autumn with open arms! Autumn means the arrival of pumpkins, winter squash, cranberries, and brussels sprouts...believe me, in a few months I'll be whining about the looming approach of spring!

Well, I digress, the point of this post is to say so-long to summer. When I was thinking up the dish I wanted it chalk full of my favorite summer veggies: corn (off the cob), tomatoes, and green beans plus fennel since it accompanies corn so well and I found a lovely bulb of it at my local farmer's market! I decided to make this a meat-less dish but you're welcome to add your favorite protein. Shrimp or bacon (pork fat makes everything better) would be absolutely fantastic in this dish! Enjoy!

So-long Summer Pasta
Serves 4 as a main and 6 as a side

Ingredients:

1-pound of pasta, cooked per package instructions
(I used spaghetti but you could use linguine or penne, whatever you have on hand)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1-pint cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons of butter (1/2 stick), divided
1 large shallot thinly sliced crosswise
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bulb of fennel, with fronds and stalk removed cut in half the lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups of fresh sweet corn, about 2 ears with kernels removed
1 1/2 cups of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
torn fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large skillet or Dutch-oven heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the sliced shallot, garlic, and fennel. Keep the heat fairly low so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, spread-out the tomatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle them with the olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and top with the sprigs of thyme. Place in the baking sheet in the 400 degrees oven for 5-10 minutes (the time depends on your oven and the size of the tomatoes). Check on the tomatoes after 2 or 3 minutes and turn the baking sheet if you see the tomatoes browning more in one area than another.
When the fennel mixture has cooked for about 5 minutes or so (you want the fennel and shallots to be translucent not browned) add the white wine then turn up the heat to medium-high and stir to incorporate. Add the green beans and corn and stir, continue cooking and stirring occasionally for another 3 minutes (if the pan gets to hot lower the heat to medium). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cayenne pepper, a teaspoon of kosher salt and grated Parmesan cheese, stir and cook for 2 more minutes, taste the mixture and make sure the seasoning is right.
Turn off the heat and add the pasta, stir to incorporate.

To Serve:

Plate up the pasta and top with a few roasted tomatoes, torn basil leaves, and a little more freshly grated Parmesan.