Late Summer Salad

I always begin the gardening season with such wonderful intentions.  I lie down to sleep in early spring with visions of elephant garlic and heirloom veggies in my head.  I awake in early fall with the dread of having to harvest and somehow consume or preserve thousands of tomatoes that have chosen to ripen simultaneously while a lone cucumber clings to the vine, it's brothers and sisters lost to Irene's wrath.  And that handful of beans, barely enough to grace a dinner plate.

But wait!  I have a plan!   I'll make a huge bowl of pasta salad and feed my runs for days to come while I cling to the last tendrils of summer, in disbelief that the fall racing season is coming fast upon us (faster than my finish times, dammit).

Late Summer Salad

(8 to 10 servings)

INGREDIENTS

1 pound 100% whole wheat organic fusilli (I use bionatureae)
1 organic red pepper, finely chopped
1 cup organic french green beans, cut into thirds
5 small organic heirloom tomatoes
1 organic cucumber
1 ear fresh sweet corn, kernels removed
1 4.5 - 5 ounce container bocconcini (those tiny balls of fresh mozzarella) cut into quarters
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of freshly grated pecorino
5 leaves organic basil, julienned
salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

•Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil.  Add fusilli, stirring occasionally, and cook until just al dente (about 10 minutes)
•While the pasta is cooling, add the fresh corn kernels and finely diced red pepper to a large bowl.
•Remove the pasta with a slotted spoon and transfer to the large bowl with the corn and red pepper.  Keep the pasta water and bring back to a simmer.
•Blanche the green beans for about 2 minutes in the pasta water and drain.  Add to the bowl with the pasta.
•Pour the olive oil and vinegar over pasta and toss.  Season to taste (keep in mind that you'll be adding a salty cheese at the end, so under season to compensate), toss again.  By adding the olive oil and vinegar to the pasta while it's still warm, the pasta absorbs more of the yumminess.
•Making sure that the pasta has cooled to room temperature, add the tomatoes, cucumber, basil and bocconini.  Toss.
•Sprinkle the salad with pecorino and toss.