Showing posts with label corn potage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corn potage. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Summer's Bounty

I stopped by my parents' home this morning and look what they had for me!

Tomatoes, corn and a few pasilla chiles.

My dad grows them at the Hurst Ranch in West Covina. You may have seen him in my Curly Endive post.

Look who came over to check everything out?!

Dixie!

If you have tomatoes and corn in abundance like we do, here are a few recipes you might like to try:






Do you have a favorite family recipe using corn or tomatoes?

If you'd like, leave me a link in the comments section so I can try a favorite recipe of yours.

Itadakimasu!


***


Over the weekend we visited our friend Rick selling his vintage bike stuff at a small swap meet in Whittier.

Rick loves vintage bikes, especially Schwinns.

You may remember him from his wife Sue's guest post Grandma Kimbro's 2 Layer Cheesecake. 

He loves talking about his bikes. There aren't any prices on anything because he wants you to ask--so he can talk to you about the parts and bikes.

Rick also loves vintage Tonka trucks--especially anything from the 1950s and 1960s.

 I like the ones that look like they were played with a lot. Rick restores the really junky ones.

 It's so much fun to listen to him talk about his latest find or project, and when you go visit him in his garage, he can spend hours showing you his paint box with heat lamp, the Tonka reproduction decals he found on eBay, or, if you get him talking about chrome--his eyes light up.

This is the same kind of truck as in the photo above, yes. I've learned that you can never have too many Tonkas--even the same ones. You see, each is in a different state--some need repairs or have various missing parts, some need a new paint job, some simply need a good cleaning with a caring, loving hand. When they have missing parts, Rick begins a quest to find them--and he does, all over the country!

This is Rick's brother, Alex. He loves bikes and Tonkas too. If you've seen the History channel show, American Pickers, Alex is like them, only he's the Mexican-American Picker. Alex is also deft at woodworking.

Gary was happy to go see his friend this morning at the swap meet--he didn't buy anything, but had a good time. When we were leaving, Rick said, "I want to see those pictures up soon on your blog!"

Here you go, Rick.


***


Follow the links under each photo above for a printable recipe.



Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Corn Potage--Creamy Corn Soup

If you haven't had Corn Potage, you're in for a nice surprise.

Corn Potage is corn soup with a cream or milk base.

It's so popular in Japan, it's available in vending machines.

It's YUMMY!



We had cooler weather today, so it was a nice day for soup.



My family loves soup and it really doesn't matter if it's a hot day or not, they'll still eat it.

And have seconds!



Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, cooked
1 medium sized potato, diced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour

4 to 6 cups corn cooking water
2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken bouillon
1 cup whipping cream

sea salt
white pepper

garnish with chopped chives and cayenne pepper or paprika


Start by cooking the corn for three minutes in boiling water. 

Save the corn cooking water for the soup.



In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic and potatoes in 3 tablespoons butter until wilted.



Cut the corn from the cob with a knife by holding the cob vertically and cutting downward.

I made something else with this uncooked corn, but it's the same method for cooked corn.



When you're done cutting the kernels off the cob, use the other side of your knife to scrape the cob.



That gets whatever corn is remaining on the cob. 

The cob should look really clean like this when you're done scraping.



When the onions, potatoes and garlic are wilted, add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir. 

The butter should absorb all the flour.

Cook for a few minutes over medium heat.




Mix 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base (or you can use chicken broth or bouillon) into the corn water and mix well to dissolve the bouillon.



Add about 4 to 6 cups of liquid/broth/water to the vegetables.



Use a whisk to combine the liquid with the vegetables and flour so lumps don't form.



Add about 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.

Then add the corn.

Simmer for about 5 minutes, turn off heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes to cool slightly.



Scoop 1/2 of the corn, potatoes & onions into a blender and blend until smooth.

A hand blender works really well inside the pot, too.

You want some texture, so don't over-blend the soup if you're using a hand blender.



Return the blended corn mixture to the pot and bring to simmer.

Add cream.

Heat until just below simmering, keeping the temperature below a boil.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

If the soup needs a little more body, add a little more bouillon.

Be sure there's enough salt.

You want the salt to enhance the flavor of the soup, not be the flavor.



Garnish with minced chives and cayenne pepper or paprika.


Over dinner tonight, I was saying how much I like the corn potage at The Curry House--I like it so much I always want to lick the bowl clean.

Jessica said she'd like to lick the bowl clean of my corn potage!


Itadakimasu!



***



Remember Wes and Connie?



They got married on Saturday!



My parents, the proud grandparents.



My brother Warren, father of the groom.

He cut his hair for the wedding.

It was long.

Really long.



It wasn't long ago these two got married.



Here Comes the Bride!



Wes dipped Connie for their kiss.



Wes is a lot of fun.

He wore a camera on his chest recording everything throughout the ceremony.



Cousins Leslie, Paige and Rick.



I really love it when our whole family gets together.



Wesley's younger brothers, Travis and Garrett, were Best Men.

That's Garrett in this picture with the girls.



Lorraine, Mother of the Groom, got Rick dancing.


What a happy day for my family!

Love and best wishes to Wesley and Connie, as they begin their lives as husband and wife!



***




Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, cooked
1 medium sized potato, diced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour

1 cup whipping cream
4 to 6 cups corn cooking water
2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base bouillon

sea salt
white pepper

garnish with chopped chives and cayenne pepper or paprika


Start by cooking the corn for three minutes in boiling water. Save the water for the soup.

Saute the onions, garlic and potatoes in 3 tablespoons butter until wilted.

Cut the corn from the cob with a knife by holding the cob vertically and cutting downward, then use the other side of your knife to scrape the cob.

When the onions, potatoes and garlic are wilted, add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir. The butter should absorb all the flour. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat.


Mix 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base (or you can use chicken broth or bouillon) into the corn water and mix well to dissolve the bouillon. Add about 4 to 6 cups of liquid/broth/water to the vegetables. Use a whisk to combine the liquid with the vegetables and flour so lumps don't form.

Add about 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Then add the corn. Simmer for about 5 minutes, turn off heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes to cool slightly. Scoop 1/2 of the corn, potatoes & onions into a blender and blend until smooth.

Return the blended corn mixture to the pot and bring to simmer. Add cream. Heat until just below simmering, keeping the temperature below a boil. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the soup needs a little more body, add a little more bouillon.