Sweet Corn and Coconut Milk Soup: Cold and Creamy for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I have been quite the cold soup kick lately with the warmer weather this past few weeks. (Hey, this one isn't a gazpacho so I am branching out at least!) There was fresh Kahuku corn at the farmers market--so sweet it is a shame to cook it, so instead, I made it into this cold and creamy soup. The key player is the corn, but coconut milk adds the creaminess and some herbs from the garden and a little kick of chili pepper enhance the sweet corn flavor. A light and lovely summer dish.

Sweet Corn and Coconut Milk Soup

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes about 4 servings)

3 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 4 to 5 medium cobs), separated
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp flax seed or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 chili pepper, deseeded and chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme (or regular time), leaves removed
2 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped (optional)
water to thin to desired consistency
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a blender, blend 1/2 the corn and all other ingredients until mostly smooth. Add the remaining corn to the blender and pulse for about 5 seconds. Taste and add sea salt and pepper. Chill and allow flavors to blend. Serve cold and enjoy.


Notes/Results: Fresh, sweet, cool and creamy. Because the corn is not cooked, you'll want to use freshest and sweetest corn you can find. I like this soup chilled, but you could warm it or serve it at room temperature if you prefer. I wanted to harvest and use some of my lemon thyme and marjoram, but other herbs can be substituted. Quick, easy and good, I would make this soup again.

Let's take a look in the Souper Sundays kitchen:

Joining me in summer cold soup bliss is my friend Kim from Stirring the Pot with this very pretty Cold Melon-Berry Soup. Kim says, "If you're like me, you simply cannot get enough of all those sweet juicy melons that are in season right now. I have no problems eating melon as is, but this cold melon-berry soup is certainly a beautiful alternative. Sweet, colorful, and inviting this soup would be wonderful served as part of a breakfast or brunch menu. We absolutely loved it!"

Joanne of Eats Well With Others is in the cold soup club this week with a White Gazpacho from The Joy of Cooking. She says, "As I mentioned before, this week we are cooking the recipes of Irma Rombauer and so I chose to make her white gazpacho to eat with my popovers. Light, refreshing, and both sweet and tangy at the same time, this soup is perfect for the obscenely hot and humid weather we've been having (especially if you have cucumbers taking over your fridge. Like some of us do.)."



And Janet from The Taste Space is also feeling the cold soup love with this colorful Mango Gazpacho. Janet says, "Adapted from The 30-Minute Vegan, this is a wonderful chilled soup with summer salsa flavours. Gazpacho is a Spanish chilled soup typically filled with tomatoes, peppers and onions that is partially pureed to give it a chunky soup-like consistency. In this Thai-fusion version, mango is added to the traditional tomatoes and bell peppers, along with cilantro and parsley. The sweetness from the mango is countered beautifully by the zippiness from chili flakes and chile powder."

Janet is rockin' the mangoes this week with this Latin-Spiced Mango Lentil Salad (aka Lentil Mango Picadillo). She says, "In this meal, you have Mango Gazpacho diving into French lentils with an earthy undertone from the cinnamon and cumin, frolicking with the coriander, thyme and oregano. It is a lovely, light lentil salad infused with a savoury tomato-mango salsa. I loved the background of the cinnamon and the bite the French lentils imparted to the salad. Delicious, despite using Tommy Atkins mangoes. ;)"

Tigerfish from Teczcape - An Escape to Food has an Avocado Brisling Sardines Sandwich. She says, "I got this sandwich idea from Alton Brown's episode on.....Sardines! A good sustainable Omega-3 friendly sandwich, baby! I adapted his dressing for sardines: use cilantro instead of parsley, and added a little diced tomatoes. Then everything fall in place as what he "taught". Spread the avocado on a toast, then lay the dressed sardines on top of the avocado. Very tasty! I love it! ...speaking from me who is not really a big fan of avocado. But when it's done this way, I embrace it graciously."

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina is here with a Basil Hummus and Tomatoes Sandwich. She says, "The hummus is a traditional dish of Arab cuisine, whose main ingredients are chickpeas and sesame paste (tahini). It has slightly different recipes from country to country, and it's widespread since ancient Egyptian times. Hummus can be spread on bread or sandwiches, and I served with a Bear Claw tomato from my rooftop. Bear claw are beefsteak tomatoes, with large meaty fruits."

Sharon (aka: The Travel Cook) from Brainfood made these chunky Pimento Cheese Sandwiches. She says, "Having lived in Pennsylvania for several years I remember the luscious pimento cheese sandwiches we used to take on picnics. ... If cheese is your fix then try this tantalizing Pennsylvanian style pimento cheese sandwich. Its easy enough for the kids to mix up, and lasts a long time in a cooler on an extended journey."

Foodycat says that she is finally jumping on the Bánh mì bandwagon with these lovely sandwiches. She says, "For my Bánh mì I started with a couple of part-baked baguette (and completed the baking thereof). I applied a goodly base-layer of mayonnaise. I smeared a layer of pork pâté. I placed batons of cucumber. I added warm medallions of sweet cooked pork (following the recipe in my Spirit House cookbook). I topped with pickled beansprouts and beetroot. I applied a final garnish of coriander leaves. Very generously filled sandwiches! But through sheer greed, I could have eaten another."

Finally, girlichef is sharing her son's French Fry Sandwich (aka Teenager Sandwich). She says, "Last weekend, I heard my teen rooting around in the kitchen. Refrigerator doors opening and closing. Drawers sliding in and out. Wrappings that crinkle as they are moved to the side...jars that clink as they bump against one another...and thoughts churning with a burst of inspiration. He yelled out of the kitchen and asked me if he could make something for himself that involved the oven. About a half an hour later, with a satisfied (and hungry) look on his face, Lyrical Teen showed me his lunch. He said he was inspired by something he'd seen on Food Network and also in my copy of The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches. His version of a French Fry Sandwich."

Thanks to everyone who joined this week in with their delicious dishes. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sunday logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!