Grilled Corn? Chili Lime Soup: Salute, Summer Market

I’m reminded time and again of how fortunate I am to be surrounded by an abundance of fresh, local produce in Vancouver.

Utterly. Undoubtedly. Grateful.

Granted, fresh farm produce is not readily available year-round and does come at a cost.

Local produce is not cheap in comparison to its imported, supermarket counterpart. Moreover, acquiring these precious gems usually requires a special trip to the Farmer’s Market.

Who am I kidding? Spending a balmy afternoon at the Farmer’s Market is anything but a chore. In fact, it’s a sensory treat to peruse from vendor to vendor in search of the best of Summer’s offerings.

I only purchase what I can consume within the week so nothing goes to waste and to keep my spending low.

As Summer dwindles, our Farmer’s Markets also draw to a close.

I present my salute to another memorable and blessed season of plenitude: a quick soup featuring sugary Chilliwack corn, heirloom sweet peppers, and perfumed, emerald basil.

Ingredients

Hello, I’m a purple pepper with green insides!

Directions

Grilled Corn Kernels

Clean corn ears and rub with olive oil and salt. Grill over charcoal or flame until blistered and brown.

I grilled them over my gas burner. I did not burn the place down but please be super careful.

Timber!

When cooled to handle, hold corn upright over a plate and carefully sliced the kernels off the cob with a knife. Scrape all the “milk” off the cob with the back of the knife.

Meanwhile, sweat the onions in a pot until translucent. Add the garlic and bell peppers and sweat for another 2 minutes.

Add the grilled corn and stock. Bring to a boil, lower to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes to incorporate the flavours. Add more water if desired.

Remove the soup from the heat.

To Finish

Chiffonade Basil

Layer basil leaves into a pile. Roll tightly, and slice thinly from one end to another.

Does it bother anyone else when cooks say “roll it like a cigar”? gag!

Add the basil, chili, lime zest and juice, and sugar to the soup. Taste and season.

Serve hot, garnished with thinly sliced pepper and basil.

Serves 4. Enjoy!