Parmesan-Corn Soup

Submitted by derMoerder

This is a dish from my four-course cheese menu for Iron Chef SA XV:The Big Cheesy

1. Parmesan-Corn Soup
2. Goat Cheese Tart
3. Bleu Peanut Butter and Cherry Sandwich
4. Cheese Mousse with Summer Berries

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 6 ea Corn on the Cob
• 1/2c Chopped Sweet Onion
• 3 Tbsp Roasted Garlic
• 235g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 1 tsp Sugar (opt)
• 500ml Cream
• 750ml Veg Stock
• 5 Slices Bacon
• 4 Slices Prosciutto
• Tabasco TT
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 4 Sprigs Thyme
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Cream, for garnish

Procedure

• Cut the corn kernels from the cobs. Reserve the cobs! Also reserve a Tbsp of kernels per serving for garnish.
• Roughly chop the bacon and onion. Sweat the bacon, and then the onion in the bacon's fat.

• Deglaze the pan w/ the vegetable stock and add the corn, cobs, a heavy pinch of salt, roasted garlic, bay leaf, and thyme.
• If the corn is less than perfect, try adding a tsp of sugar. This won't be necessary if you're making this in the summer in NJ. Mmm, Jersey corn.

• Simmer until the corn is cooked thoroughly and you still have a couple cups of liquid left.
• Remove the cobs and herbs, and separate the liquid from everything else. Place the solids, cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into the blender.
• Blend the everloving shit out of this, adding the cooking liquid as necessary until you get a nice thick soupy consistency.
• Pass through a basket strainer or chinois. Season finally with salt, white pepper and a touch of tabasco.

• Crisp up the prosciutto slices in a 350° oven. Just lay them out on a sheetpan and let them go until stiff enough to stand up.
• Saute the reserved corn in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Fill a bowl with the soup and drizzle with the cream. Place some of the corn in the center and the prociutto crisp to the side. Done!