I popped into Borough Market on Saturday, just to buy some gnarly heirloom tomatoes – something both Jake and I really enjoy with basil and buffalo mozzarella. The market is uncomfortably busy on a Saturday so I didn’t linger but just made my way to the periphery where there are some brilliant farm vegetable stalls and also came away with these lovely ears of corn.
I’ve been craving the East African dish of “Makai Paka” or “Corn in Coconut” but after a conversation with my mother, realised that I didn’t have a couple of items so decided on making a rustic soup instead. I used a dried chipotle pepper to add a smoky spicy depth to this dish – you could add smoky paprika and some chilli flakes if you don’t have chipotle peppers. After rehydrating it in hot water, I sliced it in half and scraped out the seeds as it was quite hot enough!
I had seen a method of slicing off corn kernels that I had been itching to try. which involves a Bundt pan and a sharp knife – it worked! The hole in the middle of the pan supports the cob and the pan itself catches most of the kernels and really contains the ‘scatter and splatter’ that inevitably results when slicing off fresh corn kernels.
When roasting the kernels, don’t over do them – for this soup, they are nicer when they are still quite creamy and tinged gold rather than hard chewy golden nuggets! And don’t throw the corn cobs away – they are needed to make a corn broth for the soup!
This is a lovely dish to enjoy as a light lunch or supper, making the best of the late summer produce that is around! I am taking this over to share with the lovely bloggers over at The Novice Gardener’s, Fiesta Friday #31 which today, is being hosted by Angie herself. Angie is sharing the most delicious spread of bruschetta and crostini and the featured recipes from last week are absolutely mouth watering! 
Smoky, Spicy Roasted Corn Soup
Adapted from Fresh Corn Soup by David Lebovitz
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cobs of corn
- 2 pointed sweet red peppers
- 4 cloves of garlic in their skins
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 800 ml water
- 1 medium onion
- splash of olive oil
- 150 ml creme fraiche
- 1 dried chipotle pepper (or 1 tsp smoked paprika and ½ tsp chilli flakes)
- 1 tsp dry roasted cumin seeds, crushed coarsely
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves or use parsley or chervil instead
- lemon wedges to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
- Leave the chipotle pepper to soak in a little hot water.
- Preheat oven to 190 C/ 375F
- Shuck the corn and slice off the kernels. Set the cobs aside. to make a broth. Slice the red peppers in two and de-seed.
- On a large baking tray, mix the kernels, the peppers, the garlic, the salt and the olive oil – spread out and roast for 25 mins, stirring a couple of times. The corn should be tinged gold in places but don’t over-roast – the kernels should still be succulent.
- While the kernels are roasting, snap the cobs into pieces and place in a saucepan. Cover with 800 ml of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Sauté the onion in a large saucepan until floppy and slightly golden.
- When cool enough to handle, chop the sweet red pepper into small pieces.
- Drain the chipotle pepper, cut in half and remove the seeds to reduce the heat. Chop finely and have a little taste to see how hot it is.
- Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and add to the onions in the saucepan, along with the kernels and the chopped red pepper. Stir in the chipotle pepper to your taste – I used the whole one. Or add the smoky paprika and the chilli flakes if not using the chipotle pepper. Add a teaspoon of vegetable bouillon and the crushed cumin seeds
- Remove the corn cobs from the water and discard. Tip the corn broth into the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Do not boil.
- Stir in the creme fraiche and the herbs.
Serve with a lemon wedges which really sharpen the flavour and tone down the heat at the same time.
© Selma Jeevanjee and Selma’s Table, 2013, 2014. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material, including photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Selma Jeevanjee and Selma’s Table with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
