Corn Bisque

Corn is a vegetable that evokes the image of summer. Those beautiful, tall stalks growing towards the sun.

Corn is at its peak during the warm summer months. And luckily this summer vegetable is at our fingertips year-round and this soup makes the most out of fresh or frozen kernels of corn. Slightly sweet and delightfully creamy, this luscious Corn Bisque delivers sunshine on any day of the year.

As a kid, corn was one of my favorite vegetables. My family on both sides grew large crops of corn. When we were young, we would weave our way through the cornfields playing and hiding from one another and our Grandparents would send us out to gather bushel baskets of those plump fresh ears of corn. Our reward for our work was a platter of hot buttered corn on the cob or a steaming bowl of creamed corn on the kitchen table. This dish would fit nicely on any kitchen table.

The star of this soup is clearly the corn. I love the quality of organic vegetables and keep corn in the freezer for recipes like this one. Add sweet onion and shallots with a touch of curry powder for an earthy note, and simmer the vegetables in milk with a bit of cream

This is an incredibly simple soup to make. It takes less than an hour to pull this luxurious dish together and reheats beautifully so it’s perfect for making ahead. The sweetness of the corn pops.  You can dress it up by topping it with a sprinkling of chives, lump crabmeat or shrimp  but it’s also quite wonderful on it’s own.

Corn Bisque

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 small shallot chopped, about 4 tablespoons

3 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon curry powder, toasted*

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

3 bags frozen corn, 10-ounces each, thawed or 4 cups fresh corn, roasted

4 cups milk, room temperature or warmed slightly

1 cup cream

Optional garnishes for serving, chopped chives, lump crabmeat or shrimp

In a large stockpot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and shallot and cook until they are translucent and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Toss the flour in, stirring well to prevent lumps from forming. Stir in the curry powder, kosher salt and pepper, blending into the onions.

Add the corn, stir to coat in the flour and seasonings, cook for about 5 minutes..

Pour the milk into the pan, stirring until well combined. Let the soup warm through over medium heat, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, purée the corn and onions until the soup is somewhat smooth in texture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and finish the soup by adding the cream. Cook the soup for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve plain or garnish with chopped chives, lump crabmeat or shrimp.

*Toasting spices can bring their flavor to life, in a manner, “waking them up”. Simply sprinkle the spice in a small skillet and warm over medium heat. Shake the pan and stir frequently while the curry is toasting to prevent it from burning. Heat until the curry is fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves 6.