Sweet corn is one of summer's gifts in many parts of the country, including New Jersey, where I live. There's no other time of year when it tastes as good. I've tried freezing it for colder months but it never tastes as crisp as when it's first plucked from the stalks in July and August.
Still, I couldn't resist buying a dozen ears when on a trip last August to upstate New York, where we passed many country farms such as this one.
We ate some of them after we got home, but with most of them, I scraped the kernels from the cob.
The bags went straight into the freezer without cooking. The cobs went into another pot with water, and after cooling, that "corn water" went into the freezer too.
That is, until last week, when I made this creamy corn soup. Just a warning -- it's very rich, so if you prefer a lighter soup, use milk instead of half and half, and/or add more water than I did.
Either way, it's a great way to extend summer's flavors, long after the swaying green sheafs of corn are a distant memory.
Serves about six people
2 T. butter
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 c. corn kernels (from about 4-6 ears)
1/4 c. white wine
1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups corn cob broth (or water)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme,
salt, pepper
fresh thyme for garnish
1 pint half and half (or milk if you prefer a less rich soup)
Scrape the corn kernels off the cob and set aside. Boil the cobs in at least five cups water for 1/2 hour.
Melt the butter in a pan and saute the onions until wilted. Add the corn kernels and toss in the butter for a minute or two. Add the white wine, then the rest of the ingredients, except the half and half. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 1/2 hour. Remove the bay leaf and sprig of thyme and puree the soup, either using a blender or stick blender. Add the half and half and taste for seasoning. Add water if the soup is too thick or too rich. Garnish with thyme.
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