2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, seeded and diced
1 tsp of adobo sauce from the chipotle chilies
1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
2 tsp of salted butter
1/2 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced
2 tsp of salt
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tsp of ground cumin
2 liters of fresh or frozen corn (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
6 green onions, chopped for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, optional but highly
recommended
2 bay leaves
Procedure:
You can sometimes buy previously roasted poblano chilies, or you can
roast them in the oven under a broiler or over a charcoal or gas grill.
When the skin blisters and turns black, the poblanos are done roasting.
Put them in a paper bag or a covered bowl to cool for 5 minutes.
Rinse and peel the skins off of them. Slit them lengthwise and remove
and discard the stems, ribs and seeds. Pat them dry and dice them.
In a hot dry frying pan toast the cumin seeds. This is done by moving
them around constantly. After a few minutes they will begin to change
color and start to smell good. As soon as this happens, put them into a
sauce pan with the broth and the milk.
Add the bay leaves and rosemary and the chipotle chilies and adobo
sauce, and cover the sauce pan. Bring the ingredients to a slow simmer
over low heat. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and allow it to sit
covered for 15 or 20 minutes.
While you are waiting for the chipotle chili mixture, melt the olive
oil and the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions and
salt until the onions are limp and golden brown.
Add the ground cumin and the garlic and turn the heat down to medium
low. Saute them about 5 minutes until they start to smell good. Add the
poblano chilies and the corn. Stir and cook a few minutes until the corn
is lightly browned.
Strain the milk and broth mixture into the soup pot with the corn and
stir everything well. Bring the soup to a slow simmer for about 15
minutes. Remove the soup pot from the heat to cool down for a 5 or 10
minutes.
After the soup has cooled enough to handle, puree a third of it in a
blender and add it back to soup pot. Stir the ingredients together well.
Pour the cream into the soup pot and heat the corn and poblano chili
soup again over low heat. While it is reheating, continue to slowly stir
it to blend it and keep it from scorching. This is a good time to do a
taste test and add any additional seasoning you need.
Serve the homemade corn and poblano chili soup hot and use fresh
cilantro and chives as a garnishment if you like. You might even try a
dollop of sour cream or some shredded Monterrey Jack cheese on top of
the soup. Yum!
