Smithtown’s Farm Fresh Bounty - How to Prepare
By Nancy Vallarella, What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown
Corn Soup CondimentsVisit a local farm stand or farmers’ market and get inspired! Nature’s rainbow of color and the sweet smell of just picked veggies shining in the daylight will tempt even the unhealthiest eater to try clean eating. Buying what looks good is easy. Preparing dishes with these ingredients can be challenging for some.
The good news is many items can be consumed raw. They will taste great and are packed with nutrition! If that gets boring, websites with recipes and reviews are plentiful. Following recipes will help form a foundation of knowledge and skill. Once acquired, you will be building menus in your head as you browse the farm fresh produce offered at local farm stands and farmers’ markets.
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Corn has been available since July and may continue to be available through October. It’s sweetness and texture of juicy yet crisp, making it a popular choice of the masses. It can be eaten raw, boiled, and grilled. Succotash, salsa, creamed are just a few preparation possibilities. Corn chowder is another option, but it can be a heavy meal in the warm weather.
Satisfying soup lovers this time of the year was my inspiration for the following recipe…
Spicy Summer Corn Soup (4 – 6 servings, 30 minutes or less, vegan and gluten-free)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 ½ cups)
¼ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. ground turmeric or ½ tsp. fresh turmeric minced or grated
3 cups fresh corn kernels*
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth**
1 cup nut milk of choice (almond, macadamia or coconut***)
Salt & pepper
Garnishes:
2 large radishes sliced thin
½ avocado, peeled and diced (1/2 cup)
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Lime wedges
Optional: fresh cilantro leaves & smoked sea salt
Heat olive oil in a 5qt. pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with a pinch of salt and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, turmeric and cook 1 minute. Set aside ½ cup of corn for garnish; add remaining 2 ½ cups corn and broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover, and simmer 7 minutes. Stir in nut milk.
Puree nut milk mixture (allow opening at the top of the blender to vent steam). Return the mixture to the pot and season to taste with salt/ (smoked salt if using) and pepper. Keep warm.
Combine radishes and avocado in a bowl and stir in lime juice. Season with salt. Serve soup garnished with 2 Tbs. avocado mixture, a sprinkle of corn kernels, lime wedge, and cilantro leaves if using.
Nancy’s Notes:
*Select corn that is sweet and tender. If the outer layer of the corn kernel (pericarp) is tough, it will make an off-putting texture in the soup even after blending.
**It is easy to make your own vegetable broth from clean and /or organic vegetables scraps that have been collected and frozen over time. If you make your own or buy boxed broth, taste the finished product to better gauge additional salt.
***If using coconut milk which is a sweet nut milk, be aware that the spices and lime juice may have to be adjusted to counterbalance the milk’s sweetness.