Mexican Street Corn Soup

Okay, well all love Mexican Street Corn. That sweet and juicy burst of corn flavor, coupled with zesty lime, salty cojita and just the right hint of heat and spice. Well, what if you're not out and about wandering the streets looking for food? Or you want "more" than "just" corn? The answer is simple. Soup. Mexican Street Corn Soup to be exact. It has all of the craveable flavors of the on-the-cob version, but it is super hearty and is a full meal. Like almost everyone else on the planet (especially true of house wives and college students), sometimes I look at Pinterest while engaging in other activities. I like to multi task... I am like Doug, the dog from UP, but with food, clothes and home decor. I will be holding a conversation with someone and be like "ooh, those shoes", or "yummy, that food". I promise this tangent is related. Anyway, I had seen similar recipes on Pinterest before and always wanted to try them. But of course I can't just copy the recipe! (Yes, I get that is what you're doing and the point of my blog, haha.) I have to make it mine, better, tastier! So, I did. Squirrel!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients/Instructions:

24 oz chick broth

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion

3-5 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup sour cream

4-5 cobs of corn

1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 cups Maseca (masa/corn flour)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup ciltantro, more for garnish

1/2 cup crumbled cojita

1 shredded chicken breast (optional)

avocados (optional)

lime wedges (optional)

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven (I love using my Dutch Oven because it is perfect for direct heat and a large heating vessel.)

2. Add finely chopped yellow onion and minced garlic. Cook until browning (roughly 5 minutes) and continue to stir so that everything cooks evenly and does not burn.

3. While your onions and garlic are browning, use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels from the cob. I like to place the base of the corn in a pyrex container (or something else that is shallow but has a lip). This helps to "trap" those stray kernels that try to escape.

4. Once the onions and garlic have browned, add the corn to the Dutch Oven. Add salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Continue to cook and stir for 10 minutes or so.

5. Add the chicken broth, lime juice, cilantro and sour cream. Stir the ingredients together so that the broth has a homogeneous texture. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

6. After the flavors have been cooking together for a while, slowly add the masa and whisk into the broth. If you add too much at one time, it will clump us. It is basically a corn flour, so add it slowly and mix it in well. The masa should thicken up the broth.

7. If you want to add protein to the soup, add some shredded chicken, (we did small scallops since is was Friday and Lent, so no meat) or whatever you want.

8. Plate by spooning a generous serving of soup into a bowl.

9. Top the soup off with crumbled cojita, more cilantro and the optional diced avocado and lime wedge.

Enjoy!