Corn Soup with Tomato Garnish

I've had Virginia Willis's book "Bon Appetit, Y'all" for quite some time. But like most of my cookbooks, it unfortunately at first turned out to be another case of wanna gotta have it now cookbook lust  which I put on my bookshelf and ignored for several months, intending to get around and cooking something but never quite managing it. However after I got back from a walk to/from my weight watchers meeting with temperatures around 10 degrees and feeling closer to 0 degrees, soup demanded to be made. Which was a good thing as I cracked this book open and realized this was a book to take a chance on as soon as I saw the Corn Soup recipe.

I had to make some substitutions as I had frozen corn and not corn cobs as the recipe called for. If you have a chance to check out her book, try the recipe as it was called for as I think the flavor would be sublime with the corn cobs simmered in chicken stock. But even with frozen kernels, this is a very satisfying and hearty soup. However, I thought my addition of fire roasted tomatoes and ancho chili powder added a very subtle hit of spicy, perfect for a winter afternoon.



Corn Soup with Tomato Garnish
Adapted from: Bon Appetit, Y'all - Virginia Willis

4 cups frozen sweet corn kernels
4 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
1 potato, chopped
1 tbs fine white cornmeal
1 tsp each: parsley, thyme, peppercorn
1 bay leaf
Pinch of ancho chili powder 
1 tbsp diced bacon
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional per Virginia)
Salt
Black Pepper (several grindings based on personal taste)
additional fire roasted tomato/frozen corn for garnish

Combine 1 cup corn and 4 cups stock in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Add oil to large pot and heat; add onions and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add remaining corn kernels, potato and cornmeal. Cover with corn stock and kernels from other pan. Add spices, pepper and salt and bring to boil over medium high heat. Decrease heat to low and simmer until potato is tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Add 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes and puree with immersion blender until soup is smoother. Add in cream and reheat. Garnish bowls with additional fire roasted tomatoes, corn and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.