Creamy Corn Soup With Basil
Published August 31, 2021
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 large white or yellow onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
4 cups corn kernels (from about 8 ears)
2 cups sliced squash blossoms (from about 18 blossoms, optional)
Handful of fresh basil leaves, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
37 grams carbs; 219 calories; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 523 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to look wavy, add the onions and season well with salt and pepper.
- Step 2
Let onions cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn heat to medium and continue cooking until onions are quite soft, about 15 minutes more.
- Step 3
Add the garlic and corn kernels, and stir to combine. Add 6 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Taste the resulting broth and adjust salt to taste. (It should be well seasoned.) Cook for about another 10 to 15 minutes, until the kernels are tender. Stir in squash blossoms, if using, and turn off heat.
- Step 4
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Pass the puréed soup through a fine-mesh strainer and into a large bowl, pushing down to press all the liquid out. Discard the fibrous debris left behind.
- Step 5
Check consistency and seasoning, and adjust as needed. (Add a bit more water if the soup seems too thick.) The soup can be made up to a few hours ahead up to this point, and tastes best the day it’s made. Reheat, if needed, before serving.
- Step 6
To serve, ladle into individual bowls. Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over each serving. Quickly chop the basil, and sprinkle over to finish.
Private Notes
Comments
Be sure to scrape the cobs with the side of a knife to get all the "cream" out of them and save the cream to add at the end for extra fresh flavor. For even more corn taste, boil those scraped cobs in the 6 cups of water before you add to onion and corn.
For some texture and protein, I added hummingbird tongues after the puree step.
What on Earth are hummingbird tongues? I assume they must be some sort of vegetable, or something, the way "elephant ears" are a pastry. As of right now 81 readers found this addition "helpful." What does everyone know that I don't?
Love, love this recipe. Like so many other commenters, I use a corn stock in lieu of water, made with lightly browned corn cobs. Corn stock is seriously delicious in other soup recipes, too. That said, I have to pick a bone with this recipe and most others that involve sautéed onions/vegetables as a base. Adding salt and pepper while sautéing degrades the oil and risks spoilage at high heat. Furthermore, high heat destroys the complex and delicate flavor notes of good black pepper. It makes way more sense to add salt and pepper after cooking and most cases!
Made with NJ sweet corn and subbed a yellow squash for the squash blossoms. Used immersion blender and did not strain. My family loved it! It is sweet, and we want to try adding shrimp and savory seasonings to it tomorrow night as others tried.
Looking forward to making this - is it freezable? I think I'll add the cobs to the 6b cups of water and a bay leaf and sprig of thyme. I do this for all all kind of soups and chowders. - and WOW, the flavor enhancement!