Eating My Share (8.10.10)

Well, it was just two days ago when I was bemoaning my lack of culinary inspiration. Sometimes what you need for inspiration is nothing more than your share itself. Okay, your share, and maybe a trip to the grocery on an empty stomach.

I needed to pick up some sundries (okay, cat food and toilet paper, for the curious among you), which generally must deviate from my locavore commitment (I will never give up commercial grade toilet paper, thank you very much). There is a Food Emporium (for those of you not from New York City, that isn't nearly as nice as the name implies) right next to the park in Tribeca where I pick up my Tuesday CSA share.

I must've hit the store at just the right moment, because as soon as I got there, the aroma from the deli on the opposite end hit my nostrils and I was instantly starving. Happy to find the pet food in the paper products aisle, I was going to make a bee-line for the door. Then I thought, why make life more difficult for myself? The rotisserie roast chicken smelled heavenly, and I knew I wanted to maximize my vegetables. I figured, some chicken with a heaping side of vegetables would make a good dinner.

Inspiration part one, done.

When you sign up for a CSA, you take the bad with the good. Weather is usually the big culprit that interferes with a nice distribution. Tractor trailers can give weather a run for its disruptive money. Particularly when it hits your farmer's van. While your farmer and his wife are in it! Thus it was this past Monday that Pedro and his wife were hit by an 18 wheeler and happily were not badly harmed. However, they did have to go to hospital for a bit, which cut into their harvest time. Our share was pretty basic as a result: corn, cabbage, carrots, onions, cilantro, chives, lemongrass and... wait for it...

THE SEASON'S FIRST TOMATOES!

Can anyone say, "corn salsa?" So from a fairly unglamorous share came my inspiration to forgo the side dish and to garnish the chicken with salsa. The leftovers make for great tortilla chip dippin' or to go with quesadillas or any other protein.

Wishing a speedy recovery to Pedro's van, giving thanks for his health and this week's meal.

Dinner is served!

Chicken with Corn Salsa

Chicken can be roasted, grilled, rotisseried or purchased hot from your local deli

• 3 ears of corn, cooked (rinse to make cool to the touch)
  
• 3 medium-to-large tomatoes
  
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  
• 1 whole white or red onion (medium-large)
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• salt to taste (I used about one teaspoon of sea salt)
• sour cream (optional)
• fresh chives for garnish (optional)
  

While corn is cooking, dice tomatoes, onions, cilantro and garlic. Mix in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil and a bit of salt (to taste). If you can allow this part of the salsa to sit for a bit, the flavor will be stronger.

When corn is cooked, run under cold water to cool. With a good knife, cut the kernels away from the cob (I used a large plate to catch all the kernels). Fold corn into tomato mixture.

Slice portions of the chicken. Add salsa to the top. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream topped with fresh chives.