Corn and Tomato Soup

My daughter Gabrielle has been cooking up a storm lately.  Recently she made a delicious and healthy Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup from the Our Best Bites website.  It was early in April so fresh corn wasn't available but it was still very tasty using frozen.  I can't wait to make it with fresh, sweet corn, right off the cob when the summer season arrives!  Along with the topping of corn kernels, paprika and herbs you could also sprinkle grated cheddar cheese and minced sweet green pepper on top.  Use minced jalapeño or serrano chili peppers for a spicier rendition.  If you want to keep it vegetarian, just substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.  Enoy!

Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup
Recipe by Our Best Bites, inspired by the Sussman Brothers

3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 cobs)
10 ounces cherry tomatoes (abt 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, any color, diced
8 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
32 ounces chicken broth (4 cups)
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper
optional: chopped herbs for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place corn, tomatoes, and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Gently toss with hands and then arrange in an even, flat layer.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are crinkled and burst.

While vegetables are roasting, heat a stock pot to medium high heat on stove top.  Add remaining one teaspoon olive oil and diced onion.  Saute about 5 minutes, or until tender.  Add roasted bell peppers, chicken broth, smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder.  Add a light sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper (I add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper at this point and then season to taste at the very end.)

When corn and tomatoes are done roasting, add them to the pot*, making sure to scrape off all of the bits on the pan.  (*If desired, reserve a couple spoonfuls of roasted corn for garnish.)  Bring soup to a low simmer and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to stand blender and puree until smooth.  Taste, and add additional salt and pepper (and chipotle chili powder if you want a little more heat) to taste.  Divide into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a few corn kernels, and some chopped herbs if desired.

Yields about 6 cups of soup.

BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

This soup is a little spicy, depending on how much chipotle pepper is used, so beer would always be a great choice.  For wine, I would stick with fruit driven white wines such as a Chardonnay, a Spanish Albarino or a South African Chenin Blanc.  For reds, a fruity French Beaujolais Cru or an Argentinian Malbec would be a great choices .  These fruit forward wines will hold up to and complement the spice in the soup.  And, for Cinco de Mayo, why not a margarita?!  Cheers!

Buvette - French Charm in the West Village

French style charm and an upbeat vibe abound here.

A couple of years ago a friend and I stopped in at this lovely little restaurant after attending a wine tasting nearby. It was the late afternoon, too early for dinner and too late for lunch, but never the wrong time for a snack!  My friend ordered a beer and I (always hungry!) ordered grilled octopus. We had a delightful time sitting at the beautiful white marble bar, catching up with each other and saying hello to other friends who had also made their way to this cozy haven on Grove St in the West Village.  Afterwards, I made a mental note to myself that I must make my way back for a full meal.  I finally returned to Buvette last week with a friend for lunch.  And what a lunch it was!  The food here is rather simple French bistro cooking with Italian accents, but every dish we ordered was just bursting with flavor!  We started with the steak tartare, served with grilled slices of crusty bread sprinkled with a delicious olive oil.  Alongside the steak we enjoyed carrots julienned with fresh cilantro and dressed with a citrusy vinaigrette.  All the flavors were so bright and fresh and left us wanting more.  We then shared a garlicky chicken salad as well as the "Cr'q Madame", a sunny-side egg on toasted bread, covered with oozing gruyere cheese.  We ended the meal with a delicious, perfectly caramelized slice of tarte tatin and some strong coffee. This is the type of place you can settle in with friends for the morning (or the afternoon or the evening!) and drink some coffee, sip some wine, eat some comfort food and feel like you've crossed the Atlantic and are sitting at a cafe on the left bank of the Seine.  What to drink here?  I had a French lager beer from the selection on tap but there are also cocktails and an all-French wine list with some interesting bottles at decent prices.  Do yourself a favor and go to Buvette.  Bon appetit!! 

Steak tartare went perfectly with a French lager beer.   The raw steak, dusted with freshly cracked black pepper, was on grilled bread on top of a bed of Boston lettuce tossed with a flavorful vinaigrette.

Cheesy Cr'q Madame, topped with a slice of prosciutto, some grated parmesan and a couple pieces of deliciously pungent fried sage hidden underneath the egg.

The tarte tatin had perfectly caramelized apples.