Sweet Corn Gazpacho

by LEON BOUTEILLER

One of my favorite crops of the year is finally available from local growers in the Northeast. That crop is sweet corn. It is the only time of the year I have corn on the cob. Grill it, steam it, roast it, sweet corn is so good freshly picked. If you are growing your own, it’s possible to cook the corn within minutes of the picking. Gathering it before the raccoons is always a challenge. So these days I rely on my local farmer friends for the best harvest.

When still a child I remember sitting on the porch shucking corn by the bushel beside my sister. Some was destined for soup or corn pudding and some to be cooked that evening for dinner. The rest was blanched and frozen for many meals in the future. Corn silk was everywhere. The papery husks seemed to multiply on the way to the compost pile. It all seemed worthwhile for the fresh corn was so delicious.

I don’t go through this process anymore but I do take advantage of the too short season. Although on the cob is a favorite way to enjoy fresh corn, I have found some different ways to prepare this versatile garden vegetable.

Classic gazpacho is made with a red tomato base, cucumbers and bell peppers with some seasonings and olive oil. Sweet corn gazpacho is great for the summer heat. Once again we keep the heat out of the kitchen with a no-cook recipe. This recipe is made with ingredients that help to retain the yellow of the corn without getting a muddy result from the multi colors of ingredients.

When shucking the corn, use a vegetable brush to get the most silk off of the cob before cutting off the kernels. Use only yellow or orange tomatoes and bell peppers. Peel and deseed the cucumber. Use a sweet onion so that the soup is not overwhelmed and save the scallion for garnish. I include a small amount of turmeric to help preserve the enticing color. This is easy to make with little preparation; the soup is made in a blender. It’s best to refrigerate it either a few hours or overnight so the flavors mingle. If there is any left over the soup should keep for 3 days in the fridge.

SWEET CORN GAZPACHO
Serves 4 to 6

Ingrediants:

4 ears large kernel corn; 5 to 6 if the corn is less mature. Save ¼ cup for garnish
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 ½ cups cored and chopped yellow tomato or yellow cherry tomatoes
1 medium English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
¼ cup chopped sweet onion
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup chopped scallions or chives for garnish

Method:

Place all ingredients, except the scallions in the blender with top on, blend on high until smooth, about 2 minutes
If all the ingredients won’t fit at once, do it in two batches, marry the two and adjust for seasoning
If you pause the blender and restart, do at a low speed then turn it back up to full speed. If you restart on full speed it will explode out the top. Believe me, I know…
Refrigerate for at least two hours
Serve in chilled bowls garnished with the reserved corn kernels and scallions

Depending on how sweet the corn, you may want to up the vinegar by a teaspoon or so or give the soup a spritz of lemon juice. This is a terrific starter for a summer meal, whether a formal dinner or a relaxed get together in the back yard.

Enjoy!