Chilled Corn Soup With Pesto and Heirloom Tomatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 ears corn, husks on
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided use
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped sweet onions
- 1 / 2 cup peeled, diced yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, or German Butterball)
- 1 / 2 cup chopped celery
- 1 T chopped fresh thyme
- 1 T fresh sweet marjoram
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Pesto (see pesto recipe)
- 3 heirloom tomatoes, diced
Soak ears of corn in cold water for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Drain and place corn on baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes, turn corn over, and roast for another 5
minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove husks, cut kernels from cobs, and set aside.
Chop cobs into 2-inch pieces, place in a large pot with the water, 1 / 2 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper to
taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 1 hour; strain, discard cobs, and save broth.
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, potatoes, celery, remaining salt, and pepper.
Cook until vegetables are wilted. Add corn, corn broth, and fresh herbs. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Puree, strain by pressing through a medium-coarse strainer, and chill. Stir in buttermilk and adjust seasonings before serving. Garnish soup with a dollop of pesto and diced tomatoes.
(Recipes and Serving Suggestions Provided by Central Coast Ag Network Members in Action)