Recipe - Corn-And-Summer Squash Ragout

THE SAUCE
4 Cloves
8 Peppercorns
8 Coriander seeds
1 cup Halfandhalf; =OR=
a mixture of cream & milk
1 Cinnamon stick, 2" long
5 Cilantro sprigs; chopped
5 Mint leaves; chopped
6 Basil leaves; chopped
(cinnamon or anise basil,
if possible)
1 Jalapeno pepper
seeded & cut or sliced up into 6ths

THE VEGETABLES
One half Onion; thinly cut or sliced up
1 One fourth pound Summer squash
(zucchini, patty pan,
crookneck or a mixture),
cut in pieces about
1/2inch big
3 Ears of yellow corn
(kernals cut from cobs)
1 lg Tomato; peeled, seeded and
chopped in 1/2in pieces
1 tablespoon Peanut or safflower oil
Salt
2 tablespoon Cilantro leaves, chopped

THE SAUCE: Bruise the hard spices with a pestle and add them to the cream
mixture along with the cinnamon, herbs and half the jalapeno. Slowly bring
to a boil, then turn off the heat and let steep while you cut the
vegetables.

THE VEGETABLES: Heat the oil in a wide skillet and add the onion. Saute
briskly for a minute or so; add zucchini, corn, remaining jalapeno from
above and season with salt. Continue to saute over fairly high heat for
about 5 minutes. The zucchini and onion may color slightly. Pour the
steeped cream from the sauce instructions directly into the pan through a
strainer. Add the tomato and simmer for several minutes. Simmer until the
sauce has reduced and thickened a little and the zucchini is done. Season
to taste with salt and serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini