Cheesy Corn Soup with Smoked Chiles
- 10 ears sweet corn in their husks
- 5 cups water, divided
- 2 to 4 canned chipotle chile peppers, deveined, seeded and finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Instructions:
Chipotle chiles contribute a 'fire and smoke' flavor to this simple and creamy, fresh sweet corn soup.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cook the corn on an outdoor grill or boil on the stovetop. To grill, leave the husks on and remove the silks. Soak in a large bowl of cold water for at least 1 hour and drain. Grill on an outdoor grill over direct heat, turning often, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Cool and remove husks. To boil on the stovetop, husk the corn and place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
- Cut the kernels from the ears (you should have 7 to 8 cups). With an electric blender, Purée 4 cups of the corn with 3 cups of the water.
- In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the purée, the remaining 2 cups of water, and the peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the remaining corn; heat through. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls. Top with the crumbled cheese.