This easy vegetable side dish takes the saying “eat your colors” to a new level, with zucchini, corn and sweet red peppers. Add chopped fresh herbs if desired. Serve with roast chicken, steak, pork or tossed with pasta or quinoa for a vegetarian/vegan option.
2largeears of fresh corn, husked and silk removedor 1 cup thawed frozen kernels
1poundzucchinibaby zucchini or regular
1red bell pepper
1orange bell pepper
1tablespoonolive oil
1largeshallot or small onionchopped fine
2garlic cloveschopped fine
1tablespoonfresh chopped herbsparsley, oregano or tarragon, optional
¼teaspoonsea salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
Vegetable prep work
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water boils, drop corn cobs in and boil for 3 minutes. Remove corn and drain on a kitchen towel. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs in long strips and set aside. Alternatively thaw frozen corn kernels and cooked according to package directions.
While you are cooking the corn, prep your zucchini and peppers. For the zucchini, trim off the ends, then cut into approximately ½″ ( 1 ½ cm) slices on the diagonal. If using baby zucchini, cut them crosswise into pieces. If using regular sized zucchini, cut into long quarters, slice out the seedy centers, then cut into pieces. For the bell peppers, cut off the tops and bottoms, cut out the seeds and membranes, slice into long thins strips, then chop into small cubes. Follow the photos in the post for help.
Cooking
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the shallot and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add the zucchini and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and bell peppers, stirring to combine. Continue to cook the vegetables until they are softened and browning. How long will depend on how crisp you like your vegetables. They cook pretty quickly. Towards the end, add the corn and heat through for a minute. Add any chopped fresh herbs if desired, salt and pepper, and serve hot.