Spicy Tomato and Sweetcorn Soup

By AzWench

You can find chipotle in adobo at selected specialist food stores and occasionally at some supermarkets (in NZ). It is an important flavoring to this soup, but if you really can’t find any, a little smoked paprika and chili powder would give a kinda similar effect. I buy the La Morena brand. Any leftovers will store happily in a glass jar in the fridge for months.

Ingredients

• 6 tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 long red chilies, halved lengthwise + seeds removed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
• 3 corn cobs, kernels shaved off with a sharp knife
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Fine sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from mydarlinglemonthyme.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat grill to it’s highest setting. Place tomatoes cut side down on a large tray along with the red onion and chili (cut side down also). Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 6-8 minutes, or until the skins blacken and blister. Remove skins from the tomatoes and chili and roughly chop the lot.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil on a large saucepan. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add grilled vegetables to the pan, stirring well. Pour in vegetable stock, add bay leaves and chipotle. Bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and tomato paste and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, compost bay leaves, then using a stick blender blend the soup a little, making sure you leave some of the soup chunky and corn kernels whole. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Inspired by a recipe in Gourmet Traveller.