Chilled Corn Soup with Lobster, Avocado and Feta
The Hampton’s summer bounty is the perfect way to beat the heat. The best seasonal vitamin-rich produce demands simple no-fuss dishes that are perfect for a quiet evening al fresco— and these chilled soups do just that. In all three soups, the blender does most of the work— and even better— they can be made a few days ahead of time to let the flavors meld. Just take them out, garnish with some delicious morsels and serve. Classic Gazpacho— so deep and ruby red— gets a hit of sweetness with watermelon and the crunch of saffron aioli-slathered bread. Chilled Corn Soup— vibrant like sunshine— is taken up a notch with lobster and feta, and Titian-orange Ginger Carrot Soup is cool and soothing with a dollop of labneh. Effortless and delicious? Yes. A touch elegant? You bet. So whether it’s date night à deux or an easy family lunch, let’s embrace the big chill this hot August and dip our spoons into something cool, shall we?
Find more of my recipes on The Purist.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 ears of yellow corn
9 cups water
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped shallot
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 leek, white part only, sliced
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
½ tsp black pepper
¾ cup cream or plain yogurt
1 lb. lobster meat, cooked
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup feta, crumbled
Za’atar, for finishing
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Chives and parsley, for garnish
METHOD
Cut kernels off cobs and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.
Use the leftover cobs to make a stock, which will be the base of the soup. Cut cobs in thirds. In a large pot or Dutch oven, add water and bring to a boil. Add cobs and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-35 minutes, uncovered. Remove cobs, transfer to a bowl and set aside. You should have approximately 8 cups of stock.
Return Dutch oven to stove, and over medium heat, add butter and melt. Add shallot, garlic, celery, leek, salt and pepper and sauté until shallots are soft, 3-4 minutes. Add corn kernels and turmeric and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add stock and bay leaf and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add cream or plain yogurt and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.
Carefully and in batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to storage containers and place in refrigerator for 5 hours or longer.
To serve, pour soup into shallow bowls, add lobster meat, avocado and feta. Finish with za’atar and sea salt and garnish with chives and parsley and serve.