Cooks County's Corn Soup

Ingredients

- 8 ears of white corn, shucked
- 12 cups water
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 leeks, medium size, washed and sliced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
- 8 cups of corn stock
- 1 jalapeno, roasted
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped, including stems, plus a little extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf

Directions

Cut the corn off of the cobs and reserve. Place the cobs in a large pot, cover with the water and simmer for 45 minutes, then strain, reserving the corn stock and discarding the cobs. In a separate pot, sweat the leeks, onion and celery with the thyme until soft. Add the reserved corn, cilantro and jalapeno, stir to combine, then pour over the corn stock. Season with the salt, add the bay leaf and simmer until the corn is tender.

Purée the soup in a high-speed blender. After it is all puréed, adjust thickness and seasoning. If you like, add more fresh cilantro during this step for a brighter more pronounced flavor. For a silkier soup, strain through a fine mesh strainer (we do not).

Reheat the soup, portion in individual bowls and garnish with avocado and additional
cilantro sprigs.

Cooks County
8009 Beverly Boulevard
(323) 653-8009

Photo of corn stalks by Flickr user SomeHoosier.