Joan Munsons Sweet White Corn Soup With Poblano Puree Food

SWEET CORN SOUP WITH POBLANO PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler then broil Poblano pepper, turning occasionally, until charred, about 8 to 12 minutes.
• Wrap pepper in paper toweling and let cool about 10 minutes; skin should slide off easily with the towel, just remove the seeds.
• In a blender, puree the pepper and 2 tablespoons chicken broth; transfer mixture to a bowl and rinse out blender.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook until tender, but not browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add corn, remainder of chicken broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until corn is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Blend soup in batches, or use an immersion blender, until smooth; add water if needed.
• Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream and a drizzle of poblano puree; garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped, if desired.

SPICY SWEET CORN AND POBLANO SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Coat garlic lightly with vegetable oil and wrap in foil. Bake garlic 30 minutes, or until soft.
• In a dry small heavy skillet toast coriander and cumin seeds over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant and several shades darker. In an electric coffee/spice grinder grind seeds to powder.
• Chop onions and in a 6-quart heavy kettle cook in 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Reserve about one third onions in a small bowl. Wearing rubber gloves, slice jalapeño and chop roasted poblanos (abut 1 cup). Remove kernels from ears of corn (about 2 cups), reserving cobs. To onions in kettle add jalapeño and 1 cup corn kernels and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add ground spices, 1/2 cup poblanos, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Cut reserved corn cobs into thirds and add with broth to corn mixture. Simmer soup, uncovered, 30 minutes.
• In a small heavy skillet sauté remaining kernels in remaining teaspoon oil over moderately high heat, stirring, just until tender.
• Discard corn cobs from soup. Squeeze garlic pulp from skins and stir with cream into soup. Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl and in a blender purée solids with just enough liquid to make smooth.
• Tie long coriander sprigs in a bunch with kitchen string. Transfer purée and remaining liquid to kettle with tied coriander and lime juice and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through. Chop roasted bell pepper. To soup add bell pepper, remaining poblanos, reserved onions, and sautéed corn and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until heated through. Discard tied coriander.
• Serve soup garnished with coriander.

CREAMY CORN AND POBLANO SOUP

Steps:

• Take the corn off the cobs. You should have about 5 cups kernels. Set aside 1 cup of the kernels.
• Place the corn cobs in a large soup pot and add the water. Make sure they are covered or at least floating in the water; you can break them in half if they are very large. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard the cobs. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Strain the broth and measure out 5 cups. Freeze any leftover broth.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and then add the 4 cups of corn kernels and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the corn is just tender. Add the corn broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile roast the chilies, either directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning often until they are uniformly charred. Transfer to a plastic bag and seal, or transfer to a bowl and cover tightly. Allow the peppers to cool, then remove the charred skin, rinse and past dry. Remove the seeds and veins (I recommend that you wear plastic gloves for this) and cut in thin strips or dice.
• Steam the kernels set aside for the garnish for 5 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
• Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender, taking care to remove the insert from the top and cover tightly with a kitchen towel to avoid splashes. Return to the heat, taste and adjust salt, and heat through.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Combine the steamed corn kernels and diced chilies and place a spoonful in the middle of each bowl of soup. Garnish with a sprinkling of cilantro or chives if desired, and serve.