Full of summer's bounty, Southwestern Corn Soup is perfect for a busy almost-fall day.
It's the end of summer, so there's finally fresh corn in the supermarket. But it's also the beginning of fall, so the evenings are cool.
So of course this situation calls for corn soup. Like many meals, this one started with a knife in one hand, a vegetable in the other. While I shucked the corn and removed the kernels from the cob, I thought about my approach. I sautéd some onions in olive oil, added the corn, and pretty soon had a pot of soup simmering.
To the bowl of soup that eventually emerged I added some fresh squeezed lime, because nothing says Southwestern like the fresh taste of lime juice. And to round off the meal, I heated some refried beans and tortillas, made a wrap and served it alongside steaming bowls of soup.
It was incredibly easy to make, a meal fit for a busy end-of-summer day. Here's how:
Southwestern Corn Soup Recipe
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cobs fresh sweetcorn, kernels removed
1 zucchini (courgette), chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
5-6 cups vegetable stock
2-3 chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped (I used 1 cup canned)
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt/pepper, to taste
fresh squeezed lime juice, optional
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, large enough to hold the soup. Add the onion and saute until it starts to turn yellow, then add the garlic and the corn kernels. Stir them into the oil (you may have to add more) and after a minute, add the zucchini.
Saute briefly, and add the stock, peppers, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add the cumin and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer until the zucchini are tender.
Spoon into bowls and add fresh squeezed lime juice if desired.
Note: Chipotle peppers are found canned in the Mexican food section of many US supermarkets. If you live in the UK, you can find chipotle paste at Waitrose in the Mexican food section. If using chipotle paste, try using one teaspoon and adding more if necessary.
