Chilled Corn Soup

 

 

So this chilled soup thing.  I know we’ve discussed this before-it’s a little weird and takes a little getting used to.  But in the dog days of summer, it can be a really really good thing.  And since corn is in pretty much its peak season here in the Midwest, this chilled soup is just about perfect.

I looked at the ingredient list and wondered if this soup would be any good.  There aren’t too many ingredients here, and the recipe itself was straightforward enough.  And since I have been on a corn streak lately, I figured this would be a good way to use up a few of the several ears that I had overzealously bought a few days before.

Now, while this soup doesn’t have anything in the way of cream/milk in it, it is actually quite creamy (that is, if you decided to blend it.  And by blending it, I mean using an immersion mixer-or blender-very carefully in a deep enough pot.)  I made the mistake of not using a deep enough pot here, and after splattering a decent amount of hot corn mixture on my walls, stove top, and myself, I decided I wanted to “stick with the authenticity” of the corn by leaving a bit of texture.  So blend away, my friends, if you wish.  And while the ingredients don’t appear to amount to much here, this soup has quite a bit of flavor (don’t skip on the garnishes here-I feel like they are what makes the soup so great.)  You can add in and omit ingredients as you like-feel free to improvise with the toppings.  Surprisingly, the radish on top of the soup was really good (thanks, Cooking Light, for the inspiration.)  And, I know that this soup is 100% vegan, but I had a little creme fraiche in my fridge randomly, so I put a little spoonful of it on top-which was pretty awesome.  Creme fraiche makes everything better.

 

 

 

Chilled Corn Soup 

Servings: 4-6

 

Ingredients

For the soup:

4 -5 large ears corn, shucked (you want about 6 cups of corn kernels, so choose larger ears if you can)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups water

For garnish:

Avocado, radish, chives, creme fraiche, etc (get creative here)

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Instructions

For the soup:

1. Cut the kernels and as much “milk” and pulp from the ears as much as possible and transfer to a medium bowl. (You can use a spoon to scrape the pulp and “milk” from the corn after you cut the kernels off.)

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering.

3. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine.

4. Reduce the heat to medium low; cover.

5. Cook the mixture until the onion has softened, stirring occasionally, about 6-8 minutes.

6. Add the corn kernels, pulp, and garlic; cover.

7. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Add the water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

9. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.

10. Remove the mixture from the heat. If using an immersion blender, very carefully, blend the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency.  If using a blender, blend the mixture in batches. Please be careful.  If you would like the soup to be extra-smooth, you can strain it through a sieve here.  I skipped this step and thought it was just fine.

11. Chill the soup for at least 4 hours before serving.

12. For serving:  Top each bowl of soup with the garnishes of your choosing. Enjoy.

 

Source:  Adapted from Cooking Light, as part of my monthly contribution to the Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection.