MEATLESS MONDAY

A week or so ago we joined some good friends at the TUPELO HONEY CAFE on Market Square in downtown Knoxville. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the company. My BFF loaned me her copy of the TUPELO HONEY COOKBOOK which has recipes for some of the dishes they serve. This week I will share some of those with you. The cafe itself originated in Asheville, North Carolina and first opened in 2000. In the forward of the cookbook the food is described as "consistently fresh, made from scratch, sassy, and scrumptious." I would agree! The meal began with warm, delicious "ginormous" biscuits served with homemade blueberry preserves. These are "to die for"! The service was good and we never saw the bottom of our drink glasses. In keeping with the Meatless Monday theme I will share the ROASTED CORN SALSA recipe today.

ROASTED CORN SALSA
2 c. fresh corn, cut from 3-4 large cobs
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 c. diced red bell pepper
1 c. diced green bell pepper
1 c. diced red onion
1/4 c. seeded and diced mild banana pepper
1 tbsp. minced fresh sage
dash of cayenne pepper

Stir the corn and olive oil together on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 for about 7 minutes, or until it is a golden caramelized color. Let cool slightly. Combine the corn with all other ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate the salsa in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
It is a versatile ingredient but is especially good with roasted fish.