Ode to Summer Spicy Corn Soup

Look at that tasty soup with all that cilantro and homemade tortilla!

The cold weather is starting to roll in, well as much as it can for Southern California. The mornings are foggy, the days are getting blustery, and the evenings are beginning to smell of Fall. Summer is approaching a swift end. So to make this soup to make the transition into Fall a little easier.

This soup has lots of flavor and a hint of spice making a big, bold statement that summer will never die! The soup is particularly good with home made tortillas and guacamole, but those will be for another day.

Ode to Summer Spicy Corn Soup

• 2 ears corn
• 4 green onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ½ yellow bell pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 1 quart (32 oz) Tomato or Veggie Juice (I used Knudsen’s Very Veggie and only half of the 32 oz jar, but added water to make 32 oz)
• 1 ½ cup (aka 15 oz can) of beans of your choice (Black Eyed Peas, Kidney, Black, or Pinto beans)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

• Cilantro
• Cheese
• Avocado
• Tortillas

Method

1.     Dice bell pepper and whites of the green onions. Mince or press the garlic. Remove the kernels from the corn husk. (This step will cause corn kernels to fly everywhere, you have been warned!)

2.     Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the bell pepper, whites of the green onion, and minced garlic.  Sauté for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the green parts of the green onion.

3.     Add the dried oregano, cumin, and cayenne to the pot and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomato or veggie juice, corn kernels, and beans. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to your desired tastes.

4.     Garnish with green onion and other goodies then devour.