Sometimes you come across a recipe that looks so good (both picture and ingredients) that you just have to try it. That happened to us while flipping through the William Sonoma catalog (who knew they had such good recipes). The timing couldn't have been better as we are still in, though not for much longer, fresh corn and tomato season. We gave it a try one evening and loved the results.
There are a number of steps to this recipe so we made a big batch to make the effort well worth it. Although roasting and peeling the tomatoes; charring, steaming, and peeling the peppers; and roasting the corn may seem unnecessary, this is one recipe where each step adds another layer of flavor. The same goes for the chipotle seasoning at the end. Nothing else would quite suffice because of chipotle's smoky heat, though in a pinch smoked paprika could work.
The end result was a creamy, rich, yet fresh soup that was perfect for a summer night. Our frozen stash will also be perfect when we are craving the flavors of summer this winter.
Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup
Adapted from This is a Cookbook by Max and Eli Sussman
4 tomatoes
Kernels from 6 ears of fresh corn (about 3 cups)
2 bell peppers
2 onions, red or yellow, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 cup half and half
Paprika for garnish
Preheat oven to 450*F.
Put tomatoes in oiled dish and roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Cool and then remove the skins.
Spread corn on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until they are tender and slightly browned.
Place peppers underneath broiler to char each side, about 3-5 minutes per side. Once charged, place in glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 15 minutes, remove charred skins, stems, and seeds from peppers.
In soup pot, combine tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and corn. Add just enough broth to cover vegetable and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Add chili powder, salt, and pepper. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until very smooth. While, blending, slowly pour in half and half.
Serve warm and garnish with paprika and a few drops of olive oil.
