Corn and poblano soup

There really are few things I love more than corn and poblano peppers (well avocados but who’s counting). So any opportunity to have them together is a win-win for me. Poblanos have to be roasted before you use them, which gives them a beautiful smokey flavour. And while it’s a little finicky to do it and clean them, I absolutely adore the smell as they are roasting over the flames of the gas stove. Try it, you’ll love it. 

It sure is easy eating green.

This soup can be spicy but it totally depends on the poblanos you have. You can also add other green chiles or peppers if you want. If you want to ensure heat, toss in a jalapeno or serrano. I had some Anaheims kicking around so roasted and added one. 

And consider this my latest installment in the poblano soup series, which also includes Poblano, Leek, and Potato soup, and more to come.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 or 3 poblanos, roasted

3 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)
1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1-2 tbsp butter or oil

couple of sprigs of fresh thyme

1 stick of celery

1 can corn niblets

1 can creamed corn (oh yeah!)

or one or two ears of fresh roasted corn cut off the cob

1 tbsp lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Roast the poblanos. If you have a bbq or gas stove, char the skin over the flame. If you have an electric stove, put it under the broiler for 10-15 minutes turning it so all sides get charred. Put the hot peppers in a bowl, cover them with a tea towel, and let them sit/steam for 10 minutes or more. The skin should now come off easily when you rub it. Remove as much as you can then cut out the stem and seed. Rinse it to get all the black stuff off and remove the final few stubborn seeds. Then roughly slice or chop.

Thinly slice the onions and celery then chop the garlic.

Heat the butter or oil in a medium to large pot and then add the onions and celery. Sautee until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.

Add the stock, pinch of salt, thyme, and chopped up peppers to the pot. Slowly add the corn so you don’t splash yourself.

Stir it up a bit, bring to the boil and then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and use a hand blender to waz it all up and make a smoothish soup. With the corn, it’ll never be velvety, but don’t worry about it. Just make sure there aren’t chunks.

Taste, add salt and pepper as required. Squeeze in the lime. Stir and serve.

© 2016 Gail J. Cohen