Corn Soup

Just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite of corn, no matter how good, I came across Martha Stewart's recipe in Food Everyday for Creamy Corn Soup in my quest for a basic corn chowder recipe.  Martha's recipe only has three ingredients besides water (corn, salt, butter), which was fine.  However, I had more than just fresh corn to dispense with this week: from Pinckney's I got four ears of corn, a pound of pink-eyed peas (which are like black-eyed peas, only different), two tomatoes, a couple of bell peppers and some beets (still undecided as to what I'll do with them). 

I also discovered, when I went out to water my herb and vegetable garden for the first time in at least a week (we got enough rainfall in between that I didn't have to), that I had one tomato, four peppers (including the one pictured below) and one oversized zucchini that were all ready for harvest. 

The tomato I used in the soup last night, and the fate of the other items will be decided tonight after work.

Here's how I made the soup:
4 cups water
2 tsp salt
1 lb pink-eyed peas, rinsed well and sorted
4 ears fresh corn, baked and husked
1 small tomato, peeled and diced
2 tsp frozen chopped cilantro  (use 2 tbsp if fresh)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil (at this point I dunked the tomato long enough to loosen the skin), add salt and pink-eyed peas.  Lower heat to medium and simmer, covered, about 25 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cob with a serrated knife.  Add corn and diced tomato to blender and puree until smooth.

Once beans have cooked, skim off any starch (bubbly white stuff) on the surface and add corn/tomato puree, cilantro and cayenne pepper.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until bubbly (another 5-10 minutes).

This turned out a little thinner than I'd hoped.  Next time, I may add another chopped veggie or only use two cups of water with the beans and add more as needed.  But it tasted good, and the fresh corn provided the dominant flavor despite all the other stuff I added that Martha never mentioned in her recipe.  Perhaps if I get more corn this week, I'll make "polenta"-stuffed peppers using pureed corn?...