It’s harvest season! It’s that glorious time of year when home gardens, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores are full of the rich bounties of the earth. Corn Soup, from Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a Day by Leanne Brown, makes season-savvy use of the fresh produce that can be found locally and for great prices as this time of year. This soup is quick and easy to make, and is delicious to eat.
Corn Soup
What you need for the dressing:
- 1 tbsp butter or oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large Yukon gold or russet potato, diced1
- 1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp flour2 or cornmeal
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth [I used only 3 cups, because I wanted a thicker soup.]
- 2 – 4 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (drain if canned)
- Salt and pepper to taste
What you do:
Heat the butter or oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and potato; stir to combine. Cover the pot and sweat the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cover and cook another 5 minutes. Add the corn and flour or cornmeal to the pot and stir. Add the broth3, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 20 – 30 minutes. The broth will thicken as it simmers. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with good bread and a salad or some fresh fruit.
Helpful Hints & Hacks
- I used two potatoes to fill out the soup and make a couple more servings.
- I combined 2 tablespoons cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and whisked that in the soup as it boiled because I like thicker soups.
- If you want some added protein, just before letting the soup simmer, you can add 1 cup cooked chicken or pork. In the photos, you’ll see I added chopped ham (I had leftovers from a previous dinner).
The premise of the cookbook, Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a Day, is that recipients of SNAP benefits have about $4 a day per person with which to make food purchases (or $28 per week). The cookbook is loaded with recipes that are healthy and also help guide a shopper’s choices to stay roughly within that budget, so it’s a great resource that can assist anyone watching their money and their health.
This corn soup is a great foundation for using vegetables that are freshly available in the fall. For example, for some extra beta carotene and potassium throw in a chopped carrot or two, or some sliced mushrooms. Yum! You can serve it with a side of sliced peaches or some of the last of the summer watermelon. It’s autumn, so enjoy the cooler days and the flavors of the season with this tasty soup, and save a little money while you’re at it! Ciao for now!
Reviewed by Anne
