Light and refreshing corn soup
When you hear ‘corn soup’, you may think of a thick and creamy winter soup – also referred to as a corn chowder. However, this version from Heleen Meyer is light, fresh and so quick and easy to make. You only need a few everyday ingredients to serve this delicious soup.
The method has an interesting first step, but this adds lots of flavour. The cobs of corn are first browned and then simmered in the liquid, to add flavour to the stock. The natural sweetness and lovely flavour make this step all worth it. Then the kernels are blended with the rest of the ingredients to create a creamy texture without the need for too much dairy, as this often makes a corn soup overly rich. The remaining whole kernels are stirred into the blended soup which become little sweet explosions in your mouth, lending an interesting texture to this comforting soup.
Change up the flavour
Heleen loves a recipe that she can make again and again yet serve it in a new and creative way every time – this soup is just that. Enjoy a small bowlful as a starter to a bigger meal or make it a light autumn meal. If you want it to be a bit more filling, add chopped, cooked bacon or cubes of fried chorizo sausage. The flavour profile can easily be changed with a few small additions. Add a pinch of cayenne, ordinary or smoked paprika before blending the soup to give it a touch of warmth. Replace the yoghurt with crumbled feta or coarsely grated mature white cheddar or pecorino cheese. Dollops of plain yoghurt (or sour cream for a special occasion) and the spring onions are perfect to round it all off. Enjoy!
Recipe by Heleen Meyer for LiG Tydskrif
Serves 6 – 8
20 ml (4 tsp) olive oil
4 whole corns on the cob
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
15 ml (1 tbsp) finely grated lemon rind
20 ml (4 tsp) fresh thyme leaves or 10 ml (2 tsp) dried thyme
125 ml (½ cup) milk
2 spring onions, finely sliced diagonally
salt, black pepper and more finely grated lemon rind to taste
spoonfuls of plain yoghurt and extra sliced spring onion to serve
1. Heat oil in a large pot over a medium temperature. Sauté cobs for a few minutes, until golden brown and charred. (Alternatively, char cobs over the coals until golden brown.) They don’t need to be cooked yet, but this step does add a lovely flavour.
2. Remove the corn and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, leeks, and garlic in the pot until lightly brown and soft.
3. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs, but do not discard the cobs.
4. Pour stock over the onion mixture and add the cobs. Stir two-thirds of the corn kernels, the bay leaf, lemon juice, rind and thyme into the liquid.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the corn cobs and bay leaf.
6. Blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth or mash in the pot using a potato masher, for a chunkier texture.
7. Stir in the remaining corn kernels with the milk and spring onions. Reduce the heat and allow the soup to heat through, but don’t bring the soup to a boil again. Season to taste, but rather add more lemon rind, as too much lemon juice may curdle the milk.
8. Serve warm soup in bowls with dollops of yoghurt, extra spring onions and pepper.
Visit Heleen’s website (www.heleenmeyer.co.za) for more recipes like this.
Image by Adel Ferreira