Soup's On!

The weather is changing. Fans are put away. Fuzzy blankets are brought back out. And it's time for comfort food to make its way back into our meals.

Enter, soup. Warm...soothing...delicious soup.

At this point I have a confession to make. I love soup. I love everything about it. The way it warms your body and soul. The way it makes you feel happily nourished. The way it brings people together.

Which is why my youngest daughter made this very special soup. Just. For. Me.

I saw the recipe in a Williams-Sonoma catalogue. (They are very smart people for including mouthwatering recipes alongside their cooking products.) It looked wonderfully delicious. And after my kind and thoughtful daughter made it for me and I tried it, I can vouch that it truly is beyond delicious!

Try it yourself sometime. You won't regret it. I guarantee.

ROASTED CORN SOUP WITH TOMATO
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma and This is a Cookbook by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman (Olive Press, 2012)
Serves 4

This recipe was created by the Sussman brothers, Max and Eli. The chefs started testing the recipe early one morning but Max had to go into work before it was done cooking. He texted Eli a few hours later—“How did the soup turn out?”—and Eli texted him back, “I now know what it feels like to open presents on Christmas morning.”

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe but firm tomatoes
• Kernels from 6 ears of fresh corn (about 3 cups)
• 2 red bell peppers
  
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• About 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Sliced avocado for garnish
• Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Paprika for garnish

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

Put the tomatoes in a lightly greased glass baking dish. Roast until the skins darken and the tomatoes are caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Keep the oven on.

Spread the corn in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until the edges begin to turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, when the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard. Set the flesh, with the juices, aside in the baking dish. Remove the corn from the oven and let cool.

Place 1 bell pepper on each of 2 gas burners. Turn the burners on high and sear the peppers directly over the flame, using tongs to turn as needed, until the skins are blackened all over, 10 to 15 minutes total. (Or place the peppers under the broiler and broil, turning as needed, until charred and blistered on all sides, about 15 minutes.) Transfer the peppers to a brown paper bag and close tightly. Let stand for 15 minutes, then remove the peppers from the bag. Remove and discard the skins, core and seeds.

In a soup pot, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, yellow and red onions, garlic and corn, reserving a handful of the roasted corn for garnish. Add just enough broth to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and the 1 tsp. salt.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. While blending, slowly drizzle in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Garnish each portion with a couple of avocado slices, a few drops of olive oil, a scattering of the reserved roasted corn and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve hot.