Summer Corn Soup

Intense fresh corn flavor with shrimp or lobster chunks

This soup has an intense, rich, fresh corn flavor. One summer in Maine, I added chunks of leftover cooked lobster meat instead of the shrimp. It is very pleasant to make this on a summer day when you have time, the corn is fresh, and your family is around to enjoy it with you. A little cool sea air and a gin and tonic make it even better.

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz. bottle of beer (not light)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined, or you can use cooked lobster meat

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 large white onion, finely chopped

• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, finely chopped

• 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and diced

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 1/2 cups fish stock (see below)

• 4 1/2 cups fresh corn (6 to 8 ears)

• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup half-and-half

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

• Salt and pepper

Cilantro Puree

• 1 small can green chiles

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Heat beer, 2 cups of water, the bay leaf, and red pepper flakes in a 2-quart pan until boiling. Add the shrimp and let it cook for 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and cook liquid down by half. (If using cooked lobster meat, omit this step.)

Melt butter in large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Stir in the oregano, cumin, thyme, and flour. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cup of dry white wine and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add reduced beer liquid and the fish stock. Add the corn. Add a cup of water. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Cut each shrimp into 4 pieces and add half the shrimp to the soup. (If using lobster meat, follow the same instructions.) Remove soup from heat and stir in cream, half-and-half, and lime juice.

Puree the soup in small batches in a food processor or blender. Season it to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining shrimp or lobster and keep warm over low heat.

Make the cilantro puree by blending all three ingredients (chiles cilantro, and oil) until very smooth.

To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls and swirl a couple of tablespoons of puree on top of each one.

Fish stock ingredients

• 1 large white onion, roughly chopped

• 1 chopped fennel bulb

• 2 large carrots roughly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• 10 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley

• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 4 cups dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 4 pounds of clean rinsed fish heads or carcasses from a white fish such as snapper or halibut (shrimp shells are excellent to add to this if you have them)

• 2 1/2 quarts cold water

Fish Stock Instructions

Put all of these ingredients into a large soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain. You can make this ahead of time and freeze it.