Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Harvest Creamy Corn Soup

I came across this wonderful, wintery recipe last year while watching Rachael Ray or the Food Network. This soup is so simple and so delicious! I made it last night and it was so perfect with all of this cold weather we are having! Please give it a try and let me know what you think.

Harvest Creamy Corn Soup


Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 to 5 large ears corn, scraped from cob or 1 box frozen corn (I use frozen...so much easier)
1 medium or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 pound small potatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf (if you have one...I rarely do)
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme (I've never had this on hand)
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of generous handfuls,
A few dashes hot sauce, to taste (if desired)

Directions

1. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Add bacon to hot oil and cook until crisp at edges.
3. Add onions and corn, zucchini and potatoes and bell pepper as you get them chopped. Also add to the soup pot the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, paprika, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes to begin to soften the vegetables.
4. Sprinkle flour into the pot, stir and cook 1 minute.
5. Stir in the stock and let it come up to a bubble and thicken up a bit.
6. Then stir in cream, parsley and hot sauce, to taste, and simmer 5 minutes.
7. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve! I served warm French bread toasted with butter.

I love the parsley in this soup that is added at the end! It just makes it so fresh. Please don't leave that part out. Also, because this recipe makes a ton, you will have plenty of leftovers and it's even better the second day.

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