By Kathryn Reed

I’ve had a thing for corn this summer. But that’s not the best food choice when someone in the house has braces. The recipe below, though, makes these yellow nuggets edible for her.

It seems like every ear I buy at the farmers’ market is sweeter than the next.

While these enchiladas could be made year-round with canned or frozen corn, that seems sacrilegious to me. The only way I would make this dish out of season is if I had frozen corn from the summer, which I do on occasion. (Just blanch the cobs, then take the kernels off the cob and put them in a freezer bag.)

It’s possible to get the corn, red onion, garlic, chilies and zucchini from most farmers’ markets.

A smoked cheese adds depth to the concoction. Cheddar and Gouda work well.

The heat factor is up to you. That’s controlled by the cayenne and chilies.

The number of enchiladas you get will depend on the size of tortillas and how much filling you put in each. I’ve always filled a 9 x 13 pan with the amount of filling this makes. Leftovers freeze well.

Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas

1 T olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

Cayenne pepper

3 ears of corn, about 3 cups kernels

2½ tsp cumin

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 jalapeno or Serrano chilies, minced (remove seeds)

3 medium zucchini, diced, about 2 cups

½ C cilantro, chopped

Tortillas

1 16-ounce jar chunky salsa verde

6 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, grated, about 2 cups

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and at least 3 pinches of cayenne. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is soft. Add the corn, cumin, garlic and chilies. Sauté until corn is tender. Add zucchini, cook until tender, but not mushy. Add cilantro.

Place 1/3 cup vegetables in the center of each tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Place seam side down in 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with any remaining mixture. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas. Top with any remaining cheese. Bake covered for 20-25 minutes.