Roasted Corn-Chipotle Soup
Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.
Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.
Ingredients:
5 ears fresh corn, husked
2 red bell peppers
3 jumbo russet potatoes, peeled
6 slices bacon, cut in small dice (optional)
3 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, cut in small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
2 canned chipotle chiles, removed from their sauce, seeded and finely diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into small dice
salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Instructions:
Roast the corn either on a grill or in a heavy cast-iron pan over low heat or directly over a gas burner, turning until all the kernels take on a smoky hue. Cut the kernels from the cobs, reserving 2 of the cobs.
Roast the bell peppers on a grill or under the broiler, turning as the skin blackens on each side. Place the roasted peppers in a plastic bag and seal. Let the peppers steam while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cut the 2 potatoes into a small dice and set aside.
Quarter the remaining potato and cover it with the water in a small saucepan. Cook until it is tender, about 15 minutes. Mash this potato coarsely with a fork and set aside.
Fry the optional bacon in a large heavy stock pot until it is almost crunchy, about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the bacon grease and melt the butter in the pan. Add the onion and saute it until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute a few more minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the broth, then add the reserved corn cobs, diced and mashed potato, chipotles and tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil and season it with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potato pieces are cooked through, about 25 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, peel the peppers. Discard the seeds and membranes, then cut the flesh into a small dice.
Remove the cobs from the soup and add the corn kernels, roasted red pepper and cream. Simmer until the soup isheated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust for seasoning.
Serve with warm tortillas or cornbread and a green salad.
Yields 12 servings.
Recipe from www.epicurean.com.