Summer Corn Soup Recipes

SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the kernels off the ears of corn by starting to cut halfway down the ear and slicing to the bottom, rotating the ear as you go; don't try to cut too close to the base of the kernels. Turn the ear over and repeat to remove all the kernels. You'll need 3-1/2 to 4 cups of kernels for the soup.
• Stand one cob on end in a pie plate or other shallow dish and use the back edge of the knife to scrape the cobs and extract as much "milk" and solids as you can. Set this raw corn purée aside.
• Break the cobs in half and put them in a heavy 4-quart pot. Add 6 cups water and 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 30 min. Discard the cobs. Pour the liquid into a bowl and set aside.
• Set the pot back over medium-high heat and add the oil or butter (or both). When it's hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 min. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Reduce the heat to medium, add the celery, sprinkle with salt, and stir. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 min.; don't let them color. (If they start to brown before softening, reduce the heat.) Add the potatoes, marjoram, black pepper (about 6 turns of the grinder), and cayenne and stir to distribute the seasonings. Add the corn stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, lower the heat to medium low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender enough to purée, 20 to 30 min. Add most of the corn kernels, reserving about 1 cup. Simmer gently for another 10 min.
• Purée the soup in batches in a blender (be careful to fill the blender no more than one-third full and hold a towel over the lid while you turn it on). Put the puréed soup back in the pot. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Add the reserved corn kernels and corn "milk," and simmer just long enough to take the raw edge off the corn, about 5 min. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, garnished with a small dollop of sour cream and the tomatoes and basil.

SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Husk corn. Dice onion and mince garlic. Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise, discard seeds and mince. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, discards seeds and dice. Chiffonade basil leaves.
• For the corn stock, cut kernels off corn ears and reserves cobs. In large pot, combine cobs, bay leaf, peppercorns, 1 pinch salt and 16 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Place stockpot over medium-low heat and add oil. Add onion, jalapeño and red peppers. Stir vegetables until onions are translucent and peppers are soft but not brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 and 1/2 minutes more, until garlic is golden but not brown. Increase heat to medium, and add butter and corn kernels. Add a tablespoon salt, pepper to taste and stir for about 4 minutes. Adds more salt and pepper to taste. Add 6 cups corn stock. Stir broth. Add light cream or soy milk and stir. Cover pot and lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
• Using an immersion blender, purée soup coarsely, leaving some kernels partly broken or whole. Add more salt and pepper to taste and, if desired, smoked paprika. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with basil.

SWEET SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a large pot until it comes to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. While it's heating, cut off the corn kernels from the cobs (cutting in a large salad bowl helps keep the kernels from flying all over). You should have about 4 1/2 cups/680 g of kernels. Place the 6 cobs in the stockpot, and simmer them covered, while you prepare the rest of the soup ingredients (for at least 20 minutes).
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes. Add the celery and thyme and sauté for another 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Remove the cobs from the stockpot with tongs, and place them on a plate to cool. Add the sautéed vegetables, potatoes, 1 tsp salt, paprika, 1/4 tsp pepper, cayenne, and coriander to the pot and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, when the cooked cobs are cool enough to handle, take a sturdy knife and scrape down the sides of the cobs to collect the remainder of the kernels. This should yield about 1 cup/150 g of kernel bits.
• After the soup has cooked for 25 minutes, stir in the soymilk, corn kernels, and corn kernel bits. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove 1 qt/960 ml of the soup and puree it in a blender or food processor until it's very smooth. Return the puree to the soup pot, and heat until it returns to a simmer, stirring frequently.
• While the soup simmers, hold the whole bell pepper with metal tongs over an open flame on the stovetop. Turn it frequently until the skin is charred all the way around, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let cool. Using a clean dishcloth, rub off the charred skin. Remove the stem and seeds and cut the flesh into a fine dice. Set aside.
• Turn off the heat for the soup and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each one with some of the red bell pepper. Serve immediately.

CHILLED SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup: Whisk together the buttermilk, garlic, scallions and thyme leaves in a medium bowl and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Hold an ear of corn flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the kernels off the cob. Continue rotating the cob and slicing until all the kernels are cut off. Repeat with the remaining cobs. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 cups of kernels. (You can freeze the cobs for corn stock later).
• In a blender, combine the buttermilk mixture, corn kernels, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
• Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Check the seasoning, and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• For the garnish: In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with the scallions, parsley leaves and stems, thyme leaves, garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt.
• Divide the soup among 6 serving bowls. Top with the tomato mixture, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

SUMMER CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over low heat. Add onion; cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onion; cook and stir until onion is coated, about 5 minutes.
• Stir vegetable broth and potatoes into the onion mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook partially covered until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add corn, red pepper, green pepper, half-and-half, ground black pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until corn is softened, about 8 minutes.

SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• For soup:
• Bring milk and corncob halves (not kernels) just to boil in heavy medium pot. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep while sautéing vegetables.
• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes (do not let onion brown). Add corn kernels, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add 2 cups water, herb sprigs, bay leaf, and milk with corncobs. Increase heat and bring to boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.
• Discard corncobs, herb sprigs, and bay leaf. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Strain into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season soup to taste with salt and white pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• For garnish:
• Cook bacon in small skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in corn, green onion, and pinch of cayenne. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Rewarm soup over medium heat. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle garnish over, drizzle with crème fraîche, and serve. * Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

EASY SUMMER CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place bacon in small stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is deep golden brown and all the fat has been rendered, about 4 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel, and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
• Add onions, celery, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste to stockpot; cook over medium-low heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes.
• Add corn, potatoes, and chile; cook until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme. Add half-and-half, and simmer until soup is hot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and garnish with the reserved crisp bacon pieces.