Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

This soup is inspired by the raw sweet summer corn, I tasted at our local farmers market years ago. Ever since, it’s been my absolute favorite way to eat corn, straight off the cob, crisp and bursting with sweetness. This is the kind of corn you should use for this soup! The cobs are simmered in a light stock and the kernels are added at the very end of cooking for freshness and maximum flavor.
I puree about 2/3 of the soup because I like the chunky texture. It is topped with a swirl of greek yogurt and freshly ground black pepper and served with a punchy grilled garlic pita, but you can alternatively bake them, either way is super tasty.

Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the soup:
5 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 cm dice
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups vegetable stock or filtered water
3 large Yukon Gold (boiling potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 dice 
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic pitas:
3 pitas, spilt in half crosswise, to form 2 circles
3 garlic cloves, minced
30 gr. soft room temp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme

To serve:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Soup:
Lay the ears of corn flat on a cutting board, using a sharp knife, slice off all the kernels and place them in a medium bowl. Keep the ears of corn on a separate plate and set both aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add stock or water, the 5 reserved ears of corn, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove ears of corn with tongs and discard. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a knife. Add the reserved corn kernels and cook for 3 minutes more.

Take soup off the heat and add 1/4 cup heavy cream. Puree with an immersion blender to the consistency of your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
 
Garlic pita:
Preheat the oven to 200°c or an outdoor gas or charcoal grill.

In a small bowl place all the ingredients and mix with a spoon to combine. Spread over the pitas

Baked: Arrange in a single layer on parchment lined baking pans. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden and crispy.

Grilled: Place pita halves on a hot preheated grill. Grill quickly on both sides for 1-2 minutes or just until edges are lightly charred and crispy and center is still soft. Remove and serve immediately.

To serve: Divide soup among bowls, top with a tablespoon of yogurt, freshly ground black pepper and serve with garlic pita. xx

Red Lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons

This soup reminds me of fall in New England, when the weather begins to chill and the leaves change colors.
I think that there is nothing quite like a bowl of hot, hearty soup, it’s the ultimate comfort food and can be a meal in itself.
This one consists of simple pantry ingredients that are healthy, packed with nutrients and a whole lot of flavor.
The different toppings of tangy labneh, salty parm, homemade croutons, evoo and freshly ground black pepper, creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures so don’t skip on any of them.

Red lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons {vegetarian}

Serves 6-8

Cook’s notes:

• Pick over the lentils to remove any debris and then rinse in cold water to remove any dust.

• Make your own croutons, they’re easy to make and far tastier than the store bought ones.

• Season the soup with salt only after it is cooked, so lentils don’t become tough.

• As the soup cools over night in the fridge, it will thicken up. Simply add filtered water and thin it out to the consistency of buttermilk.

Ingredients

For the soup:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 large carrots (about 1.5 lb.), peeled and cut roughly into 1/2 inch dice 
Chili flakes (as hot as you like it)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed (*see notes)
8 cups (2 quarts) vegetable stock or filtered water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the croutons:
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 French baguette, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tsp thyme leaves

To serve
Labneh or plain greek yogurt
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan Reggiano

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, carrots, chili flakes and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more, add lentils, black pepper and stock or water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered (stirring from time to time) for 30 minutes or until carrots are soft and lentils are cooked through.
Take the soup off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until silky smooth, season with salt.

Meanwhile make the croutons.
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Put the cubes of baguette on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle with thyme, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands to coat. Arrange in a single layer and bake, mixing twice half way through for about 12-15 minutes, until crunchy and lightly golden.

Serve soup with a dollop of labneh or yogurt, croutons, a drizzle of evoo, freshly ground black pepper and grated Parm. xx