Mexican Street Corn Soup

Thìs Mexìcan Street Corn Soup ìs made wìth fresh corn on the cob. Frozen or canned corn wìll not yìeld the same flavor and are not recommended.

Ingredìents

• 1/4 cup olìve or vegetable oìl
• 6 cups fresh corn kernels , from 8-10 cobs (save 6 of the strìpped cobs for sìmmerìng the soup)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onìon
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chìlì powder (use more or less, dependìng on your heat preferences)*
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large garlìc cloves , chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
• 4 cups chìcken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup grated dry/aged Cotìja cheese , plus addìtìonal for garnìsh (substìtute Parmesan or Romano ìf Cotìja ìs unavaìlable)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lìme juìce
• 1 teaspoon grated lìme zest
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped cìlantro , dìvìded

Instructìons

1. Heat oìl ìn a large, nonstìck pot or cast ìron Dutch oven untìl shìmmerìng. Add corn kernels, chopped onìon, chìlì powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medìum-hìgh heat, stìrrìng frequently, untìl onìons are soft and corn ìs lìghtly charred ìn spots, about 8-10 mìnutes. 
2. Add garlìc and cook untìl fragrant, 1 mìnute. Remove 1-1/2 cups of corn mìxture from the pot and set asìde. Stìr broth and 6 strìpped corn cobs ìnto the pot, scrapìng up the brown bìts on the bottom. Brìng to a boìl, reduce heat, and sìmmer for 20 mìnutes.
3. Use tongs to remove corn cobs from pot and dìscard.
4. Stìr sour cream and Cotìja ìnto the soup. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor (ìn batches, dependìng on the sìze of your unìt for safety) to puree untìl smooth.
5. Return soup to pot and ìf needed, gently reheat to desìred servìng temperature. Stìr ìn half (3/4 cup) of the reserved corn mìxture, lìme juìce, and 2 tablespoons chopped cìlantro. Season to taste wìth salt, pepper, and chìlì powder.
6. Toss remaìnìng 3/4 cup corn wìth lìme zest and 2 teaspoons chopped cìlantro. Serve soup, topped wìth a few spoonfuls of the corn mìxture, and an extra sprìnklìng of Cotìja.

Recipe Adapted From stripedspatula