Charred Plum Tomato and Sweet Corn Soup

8 large plum tomatoes, halved
10 large cloves garlic (unpeeled)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling the tomatoes
2 large ears yellow corn, shucked, kernels scraped, cobs cut in half and reserved (cobs can be used to make broth for this dish)
Coarse sea salt
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 ⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups Sweet Corn Broth
Freshly ground white pepper
Crispy Okra Strips with Lime-Thyme Vinaigrette

Some dishes require that you only use the freshest seasonal ingredients. This is one of them.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place the garlic cloves in between them. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and are starting to char around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a small sauté pan over medium heat, combine the corn kernels, 1⁄4 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, combine the onions, the red pepper flakes, 1⁄4 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Peel the garlic cloves and add them along with the tomatoes (and their juices), the remaining olive oil, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and the broth to the saucepan with the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to incorporate.
Puree the soup in batches in an upright blender or with an immersion blender. Strain through a medium mesh strainer and return back to the saucepan. Stir in the corn kernels, puree again in batches in an upright blender or with an immersion blender, and return back to the saucepan (don’t strain the second time). Season with white pepper and salt to taste.
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, ladle into bowls, and garnish with a few cakes of crispy okra strips.