COLD AVOCADO CORN SOUP WITH CILANTRO OIL

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Cold Avocado Corn Soup With Cilantro Oil image

Crema - a Mexican cultured heavy cream similar to sour cream - is often drizzled over enchiladas and tostadas and added to side dishes and sauces. Here it lends a tangy balance to rich avocado and sweet corn.

Categories     Soup/Stew     Fruit     Herb     Vegetable     Freeze/Chill     Avocado     Corn     Summer     Chill     Cilantro     Gourmet

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

For soup
1 fresh or frozen ear of corn, shucked
4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups chopped white onion
1 fresh serrano chile, stemmed and coarsely chopped (including seeds)
2 firm-ripe California avocados (1 to 1 1/4 lb total)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup crema or sour cream
For cilantro oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Special Equipment
a 3/4-inch melon-ball cutter

Steps:

  • Make soup:
  • Roast corn on rack of gas burner over high heat, turning occasionally with tongs, until kernels are charred in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. (Alternatively, heat a dry well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and roast corn over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.) Transfer corn to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cob with a sharp knife, then cut cob into thirds.
  • Bring kernels, cob pieces, 4 cups water, garlic, salt, and 1/2 cup onion to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan and boil until liquid is reduced to about 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool, uncovered. Discard cob pieces.
  • Purée corn mixture along with chile and remaining 3/4 cup onion in a blender, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. Return broth to cleaned blender.
  • Quarter, pit, and peel 1 avocado, then add to blender with 2 tablespoons lime juice and purée until smooth. Transfer soup to a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill soup at least 1 hour.
  • Prepare cilantro oil while soup chills:
  • Purée cilantro, oil, and salt in cleaned blender, scraping down sides of blender several times. Pour oil into cleaned fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and let drain 15 minutes (do not press on solids). Discard solids.
  • Assemble soup:
  • Halve and pit remaining avocado and scoop small balls from flesh with melon-ball cutter, then toss gently with remaining tablespoon lime juice in a bowl.
  • Whisk together crema and remaining 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth.
  • Season soup with salt and ladle into 6 shallow soup bowls. Divide avocado balls among bowls, then drizzle with crema and cilantro oil.

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