Sweet Corn Soup with Avocado Cream and Cilantro
At Lucques, we search out the heirloom varieties of corn, available all summer long from our local farmers’ markets. This soup is spiced with jalapeño and cilantro and topped with avocado cream and lime. The key to its silky texture is blending it long enough at high speed and adding enough liquid to achieve the consistency of heavy cream. Although customers swear this rich soup must have cream in it, the only cream you’ll find is in the topping that garnishes the soup: a delicious purée of avocado, crème fraîche, and lime juice.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, and when it foams, add the potato, onion, chile, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low, and cook about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the potatoes release their starch and appear creamy.
Step 2
Turn the heat to high, and add the corn, cilantro sprigs, the jalapeño, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and some pepper. Stir to coat the corn in the butter, onion, and potato mixture. Pour 10 cups of water into the pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer about 30 minutes, until the corn and potatoes are tender but not mushy.
Step 3
Meanwhile, purée the avocado and crème fraîche in a food processor until smooth. Season with the lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Strain the soup over a large bowl, and discard the chile de árbol. Put half the corn mixture into the blender with 1/2 cup of the liquid. (You will need to purée the soup in batches.) Process at the lowest speed until the corn is puréed. Then, pour in 1 cup of liquid. Turn the speed up to high, and pour in more liquid, a little at a time, until the soup has the consistency of heavy cream. Blend at least a minute, until the soup is completely smooth. Transfer to a container, and repeat with the second half of the soup. (You may not need all the liquid.) Taste the soup for balance and seasoning.
Step 5
To serve family-style, put the soup in a warm tureen and scatter the cilantro leaves over the top. Serve the avocado cream on the side. Or serve in bowls and garnish each with a generous dollop of avocado cream and three cilantro leaves.
