30 Apr 2018 Corn Off The Cob Vegetable Soup with Pastrami

This is a delicious and different-in-a-good-way soup, perfect as we enter the summer season when fresh corn is sweet and readily available.  The soup is easy to make, colorful and bursting with flavor.  If you can get the white and yellow corn for this soup, that is the sweetest and prettiest corn to use. 

NOTE: This soup calls for fresh corn kernels.  Do not substitute canned corn in this recipe.  To remove the kernels from the corn cobs, shuck the corn (remove outer husk and silks) and rinse the cobs well.  Holding the corn cob with one hand, stand it up on a large flat plate or large cutting board.  With one hand holding the corn cob upright, take a sharp knife in the other hand and cut down, all along the side of the cob, to remove the kernels.  Continue along the exterior of the cob, till all kernels are removed.  Reserve all kernels for the soup.  In addition, and very important, DO NOT DISCARD the kernel-free cobs once you cut off the kernels.  They are needed for the soup (see recipe and method below). 

Corn Off The Cob Vegetable Soup with Pastrami

In a (fleishik/meat) stock pot, heat some oil over medium heat.  To the oil, add:

2 medium onions, diced.  Sauté for a few minutes.  To the onions add:

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced

Corn kernels cut from 4 ears of corn

2 frozen parsley cubes

Sauté all together for 10-15 minutes, over medium heat, stirring often. 

To the sautéed vegetables, with the flame still on, add:

5 oz. smoked turkey breast, diced (this is turkey deli/“cold-cuts”, not fresh turkey breast)

1 c. diced pastrami (deli/“cold-cuts”, not fresh pastrami)

Season with black pepper and 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds.

Mix all together.  To the pot, add in 1 box (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth, 32 oz. cold water, 2 bay leaves, 1 generous tsp. salt and 2 pinches cumin.

Return the 4 (now kernel-free) cobs to the pot.  Drizzle pure maple syrup over the soup. 

Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the soup, covered, for about 75-90 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the soup is done, carefully remove the bay leaves and corn cobs.  Serve hot with a crusty piece of bread and enjoy!

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Kol tuv and b’tayavon!

Michal