Summer Corn Soup

Hello all–  Supper tonight landed at the intersection of summer and fall. The last of the sweet summer corn cooked into a hearty fall-ish soup.  It’s a little lighter and fresher than the normal corn chowder.  The sweetness of that summer corn shines through.

SUMMER CORN SOUP
3 tab. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 small red or yukon gold potatoes
3 ears of corn
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 tab. cornstarch
salt & freshly ground pepper
Garnish: paprika, green onion & avocado

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and then add in the chopped onion.  When the onion is wilted, add in the minced garlic and cooked 2 minutes more.

While that’s happening– cook the ears of corn for 6 minutes in the microwave in a dish with water and a couple shakes of salt.  Cut the corn off of the cobs.  (save a 1/2 cup of corn aside to use as a garnish)

Cut the potatoes into small bits.  When the corn is done cooking, pop the potatoes into the microwave in the dish with water & a shake of salt.  Cook for 5 minutes.

Then add the corn, potatoes, chicken broth and milk to the onions in the soup pot.  Stir it up and taste.  Season with salt & pepper til it’s just right.   Bring it to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

In a container with a tight lid, shake together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water.  Add it to the simmering soup and stir a couple minutes until it thickens.

Serve it up hot– and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, some chopped green onion, avocado and saved corn. Makes 4 -6 lovely bowls of soup.

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Chipotle Avocado Potato Salad

Family from far and wide showed up to the park on Sunday to celebrate Grandpa Stu’s 85th birthday.  He’s everyone’s favorite grandpa–full of words of encouragement and big bear hugs.  Family by family we arrived, with arms full of food (including this flavorful potato salad), and kids in tow,  for the pot luck bar-b-que. Lots of sunshine and squealing great grandkids made it a fine full day.

CHIPOTLE AVOCADO POTATO SALAD
1 pound small red potatoes
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 large ripe but firm avocado
4 medium radishes, sliced thin
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tab. lime juice
1 small chipotle pepper in adobo
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water.  Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, til they are tender but not mushy.  Rinse them under cold water.  Drain well and then cut them into chunks and stick them in the fridge to cool.  Cut up the avocado, radishes, green onions and cilantro and mix them along with the corn with the cooled potatoes.  Cut the chipotle pepper in half and scrape out the seeds and discard them.  Then mince the pepper finely and whisk it together with the lime juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss the potato mixture with the dressing.  Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Then stick it in the fridge for an hour or two to chill.

It’s perfect to set on the table at a summer bar-b-que.  I’m planning to serve it up with pulled pork sandwiches at my nephew’s rehearsal dinner new month.   Loads of flavor.

So here’s our birthday guy, Grandpa Stu along with Grandma Honey and their great grandson, little Ryder.  We all had fun with a bushel full of babies and little kids to keep things lively at the birthday bash.  Happy birthday dear Stu.  We all love you so–there couldn’t be a better Grandpa!!