Spicy Roasted Corn Soup for One

I recently entered a contest on food52.com-a really cool site that collects recipes from bloggers, chefs, and really anyone who loves to cook, covering the gamet of cooking themes (best couscous dishes, best way to cook a whole fish, and even the best nose to tail recipe). These recipes are collected on a weekly basis until June of 2010, where editors pick two finalists and then users vote for the best-of-the-best to be selected into a cookbook food52 is creating. Last weeks contest involved creating a recipe for a dinner alone. I, of course, choose a soup and since I had corn and various spices lying around it seemed like a quick and simple dinner option for myself. Check out the excerpt from my entry below:

 Corn Soup with Salted Lemon Wedges - Seriously Soupy

Spicy Roasted Corn Soup for One


I love roasted corn on the cob. So, in thinking about this challenge I wanted to use what I had, since if I was having a nice dinner at home I doubt I would be dashing to the grocery store. With that in mind I decided to create a variation of the corn on the cob into a soup-using simple ingredients, to make a quick, easy meal, and of course one that I would enjoy eating. I thought that roasting it with olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper in the oven would enhance its flavors (as opposed to just boiling it in water). I also decided to give the soup a little kick with chili powders and paprika, which along with the subtle use of lemon makes this soup slightly spicy, but still cooling. I hope you enjoy it during your dinner home alone (sounds like an impossible feat in my world), but still it's a nice idea and one that I am now prepared for.:)

Ingredients:

• 3 ears of corns
• 1 bunch of dill, tied together
• 1 yellow onion, cut up
• 1/2 parsnip, cut up
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 clove of garlic, chopped up
• 2-3 teaspoons of chili powder
• 2-3 teaspoons of paprika
• 2 teaspoons of sea salt
• 2 teaspoons of black peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemons
• 1-2 cup of water

Serves: 2
*If you won't be dining alone, you simply have to double the amount of corn and parsnips. You don't necessary have to double the spices, but test the recipe using the suggested measurements. You should modify after you taste it, unless you know that you want it super spicy.


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Shuck three ears of corn and with a knife cut the corn from its stem. Place the kernels on a sheet of aluminum foil or a baking sheet and drizzle the corn with olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper. Make sure all the kernels are well-coated. Close the foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
2. While the corn is roasting, boil a small amount of water in a pot. Cut up the parsnip, onions, and garlic and place in the pot.
3. Take the dill and cut off a chuck of it with your hands. Bind it with some white thread and place in the pot. Make sure the flame is low and covered at this point.
4. Periodically check on the corn, it should appear slightly brown (generally after 45 minutes). Turn off the oven and place the corn in the boiling water mixture.
5. Add the seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder), lemon juice, more butter, and some more water (I added another 1/2 of a cup) to the soup and cover.
6. Let the soup retain these new flavors for 10-15 minutes. Test the mixture, adding more seasonings (if necessary).
7. Turn off the flame and take out the bunched dill. With a hand blender, mix the soup together until it is slightly chunky. If you desire a smoother soup, you can add more water, but be sure to test the flavoring of the soup, since the water may dilute this.
8. Pour into a bowl and enjoy!

Seriously Soupy Serena