Ode to elote
I love corn, despite its utter lack of any real nutritional value. Blame my Midwestern roots, or my being particularly partial to Mexican food and its regimen of seasonings, but for Soup Swap this week, I felt determined to make a soup with corn and cumin — the rest would follow.
In anticipation of charcoal-crusted foods fresh from the grill, I had elote on the mind. That is, Mexican corn on the cob, typically smeared with a crema-mayo concoction, chili powder, cotija cheese, and lime juice. While I didn't embrace my homeland so far as to actually put mayonnaise in a soup, I did try to mimic the summery street food's flavors.
Sopa de Elote
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 poblano pepper
- 3 cups yellow corn kernels
- 3-4 cups chicken or veggie stock
- 2 cups soy creamer or whole milk
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- cilantro
- limes
- grated cotija cheese (optional)
Preheat broiler on high with oven rack in the highest position. Slice poblano pepper in half and remove stem and seeds. Lay pepper halves skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes, until skin begins to blacken and blister. Once cool, dice and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat and cook onions until they begin to turn soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 min. more. Add the pepper and the spices and cook 3 min. Add corn and stir to combine with other vegetables. Cook a few minutes before adding the chicken stock. Bring pot to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower the temperature and stir in the milk or creamer. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle into bowls and top with chili powder, fresh cilantro, lime, and grated cotija cheese (unless you're going dairy-free).