Soup's On!

I'm working on my ideas for fall classes, and soup comes to mind first.  It's one of my most popular classes.  Tonight I used two of my favorite birthday gifts, my new ceramic knives and my Vitamix, to create a delicious smoky corn bisque.  If you're not familiar, a Vitamix is essentially a blender on steroids.  It can cut through anything, make frozen desserts and drinks, hot soup, even pizza dough (trying that soon!).  As for ceramic knives....all I have to say is go out an get one!!  They are so sharp and so lovely that I'm looking for any excuse to cut stuff since I received these on Monday.

I start most soups with a mirepoix, a classic French combination of two parts onion to one part carrot and one part celery.  This is a classic base for many sauces, soups and stocks.

As soon as those flavors start blending and heating up, I am immediately taken back to my grandmere's kitchen.  This was the foundation for so much of her cooking.  It's the smell of home and it warms my heart instantly.  I cooked the onion, celery and carrot for about 8 minutes until softened.  Then I added a tablespoon of chopped garlic and one chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper.  If you're going to puree your soup, don't worry too much about your knife skills, but try to keep the pieces about the same size so that they will cook evenly.

Next I added fresh corn from four ears.  Cut the kernels off the cob and then use the back of your knife to scrape the cob and get all that sweet milk into the pot.  Next add vegetable stock, six cups in this case.  Six cups of stock turns into eight cups of soup once cooked and blended.  I also added a cup of chopped cauliflower, which is a brilliant way to make a soup creamy without adding any cream.  I added a couple pinches of salt, brought it up to a boil and then reduced the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, I added a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme from my garden and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. I let that hang out for another 5 minutes to infuse the soup with that smoky herb flavor.

Then into my new best friend, my Vitamix.  Whether you have one or a blender or food processor, doesn't matter.... just puree the soup in batches until smooth.  Put it back in your pot and add 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  This one is going on the books for October's classes....so creamy, smoky and smooth.

Smoky Corn Bisque
Serves 8

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups fresh corn kernels (use frozen when corn isn't in season)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium high heat.
• Add onion, celery and carrot and saute, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until softened slightly.
• Add jalapeno, garlic and salt and saute an additional 2 minutes.
• Add corn and stir to combine.
• Add broth and cauliflower.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add smoked paprika and thyme and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup until smooth in a blender or food processor.
• Return to pot and add white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Garnish with thyme sprigs.

What's your favorite soup????