::creamy:grilled:corn:soup::

The boyfriend and I recently went to see a financial advisor to discuss what some of our goals are for the future and how finances plays a big role in that. Therefore, we decided that from here on in we are going to be frugal about our spending. 

It really can be quite difficult if you are used to a certain lifestyle ~ so this means, unfortunately, no more shrimps for now, or fancy risotto’s...no steaks for the boyfriend and no more delightful {but expensive} cheeses. We do have a lot of food that we can work with - it is just that it isn’t the food that sometimes I want to eat. To be quite honest I don’t spend much money but when I do, it is usually always on food and drink. I love food. I am a total foodie. But you already knew that about me. 

So anyways - I have been perusing websites and cookbooks to find some cheap and easy recipes that we can try out...meat is expensive and so is seafood so I am going to focus on more vegetarian dishes. Although if I do find a mouth-watering dish that includes meat/seafood then I am going to post regardless and put it on my list of what to try out in the future. 

Anyways - so I found a recipe in the book by Claire Robinson, “Five Ingredient Fix” - I know what you must be thinking, five ingredients, well that is easy and cheap...well, not necessarily cheap all the time but there are some recipes in this book that are super easy and cheap to make so this is one that I found that I want to try out quite soon. 

Oh and there is a Buttermilk Pecan recipe in the book that looks to-die-for so will post that one up at some point as well. :))

And what a perfect recipe for the Fall season!

Creamy Grilled Corn Soup

What makes this recipe really sing: Grilling the cobs after removing the kernels and cooking them with the soup adds an even deeper smoky flavour; it's rich and satisfying and not nearly as heavy as corn chowder. It's like making stock with chicken bones - you pull every ounce of flavour out of the ingredient you can. 

What to toss in if you have it: To bulk this soup up, add diced red potatoes and sliced celery after you puree it and simmer gently until the potatoes are cooked. Some leftover pulled chicken meat will turn this soup into a one-pot meal. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

4 fresh large sweet corn cobbs, husks and silk removed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup half-and-half plus more as needed

Directions

Preheat a grill pan or gas grill to medium-high. 

Grill the corn, turning frequently, until lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut the krnels from the cobs; reserve 1/2 cup for garnish and put the rest in a bowl. Put 2 of the cobs back on the grill and cook, turning, until lightly charred. With the back of the knife, scrape all the cobs firmly to extract the milky liquid and add it to the kernels in the bowl. Break the 2 grilled cobs into pieces and set aside. 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add the vegetable stock, corn kernels, milky liquid, and grilled cob pieces to the pan {this will add a smoky flavour to the soup}. 
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the corn and onion are very soft, about 15 minutes. Remove the grilled corn cob pieces from the pot and discard. Working in small batches, puree the mixture in a blender and transfer to a clean saucepan. Add the half-and-half and warm the soup gently over medium-low heat; if it is too thick, add a bit more half-and-half to reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

Serve the hot soup in warm bowls with some grilled corn kernels scattered over the top. 


-S.*