Chipotle Sweet Corn Fettucine

Remember how I said that you would be seeing a lot of pumpkin and apple recipes around here going forward? Well, that is still true.  But I forgot that I had one more summer-inspired recipe to share before that happens. It is still technically summer for a few more weeks and there has been an abundance of sweet corn at our local farmer's market lately. I wanted to try this Chipotle Sweet Corn Fettuccine ever since I first saw the recipe on Lindsay's blog a few weeks ago. With summer quickly coming to an end, I finally got around to making it last week. 

The best part about this recipe is that it is relatively healthy- there is no heavy cream or cheese, two of the main ingredients in most fettuccine recipes. Instead, the sauce is made with milk (I used low-fat milk), a little bit of butter, flour and plain greek yogurt. Healthy and delicious! The chipotle pepper also provides a little heat, which is always a good thing in my book.

Ok, now that I have cleared my archives of all summer recipes, I am really ready for fall. I have only been planning what pumpkin recipes to make for weeks now. And after picking a tentative date for apple picking, I can see a number of apple recipes in my future too. 

Chipotle Sweet Corn Fettuccine

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum

4 ears of fresh sweet corn

1 lb. uncooked fettuccine noodles

3 tbsp salted butter

1 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup water (the water that you boiled the corn in is best)

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced

Fresh cilantro or basil for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the ears of corn into the boiling water, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let the ears of corn cook for a few minutes before taking them out of the pot and letting them cool. 

Cut the corn off the ears. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the corn kernels over medium heat. Let the kernels sit for a few minutes without stirring. Stir once, and let them sit again so that kernels turn slightly brown in color. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the excess water. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Add the milk, salt and corn water. Whisk until smooth and combine. Add the greek yogurt and chipotle pepper. Whisk until combined.

Combine the sauce, pasta and corn in one large pot. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or basil to taste.