2484. CREAMY CORN SOUP with BACON, BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER and CHIVE OIL

serves six


8 ears corn
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons ubsalted butter
1 medium onion, preferably sweet such as maui, vidalia or walla walla, diced
1 large shallot, diced
8 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs sage
6 cups chicken stock
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to tatse
1 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 butter poached lobster tails, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons chive oil

Cut all the kernels from the cobs. Discard all but 2 of the cobs. Cut the remaining cobs in half crosswise.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon slices in a single layer and cook until they have rendered their fat, but not yet browned. Add the butter, onions and shallots to the pot, increasing the temperature to medium-high. Sweat the onions and shallots with the bacon, stirring occasionally until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Using kitchen twine tie the thyme, parsley and sage sprigs together in a bundle adding them to the pot. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, and the corn cob pieces. Season generously with salt and white pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the mixture until the potatoes soften, about 20 minutes.

Add the cream and the corn kernels, stirring to combine. Simmer about 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bacon, herb bundle and corncobs. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Pass the soup through a fine meshed sieve into a sauce pan. It should be velvety, but not too thick. Adjust with a little water or more chicken stock if needed. Gently reheat the soup.

To serve: Divide the soup evenly between 6 soup bowls. Mound some of the butter poached lobster on top and drizzle each one with about 1 tablespoon chive oil. Serve warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Greg Henry, Sippity Sup, June 22, 2010