Crema de Elote
Corn is the flavor of Mexico and this cream of corn soup highlights that earthy corn flavor. Ears of Mexican white corn are called elotes. If you have never tried elotes they are much tougher and earthier tasting than sweet corn that you are probably accustomed to. Fresh Elotes make a spectacular soup which transports you to Mexico with each bowl.
In Spanish, this soup is called crema de elote.
Time to Make Some Soup
Gather all of your ingredients for your soup. We always make it a habit to get everything together before starting to cook to avoid kitchen drama that occurs when you are halfway through preparation and you realize you forgot to buy a key ingredient. If fresh elotes aren’t available buy two 16oz. cans of white corn. You will need 3 cups of corn. Be sure to use Mexican cream called crema not sour cream. If you use sour cream you won’t like the results.
Remove the kernels from the uncooked ears of corn. White corn tends to be tough. Always cut away from your body. You will get approximately 1 cup of corn kernels per ear.
Cook the Corn
Start by frying the corn kernels in 2 tablespoons of butter for 5 minutes. Fry over low heat. You don’t want to brown the corn. Note: If you are using canned corn you can skip to the next step where you cook the onion. Canned corn is precooked.
Next, add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes more stirring a couple of times.
Add 2 cups of water and simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend and Strain
Blend the sauteed onions, garlic, corn, and cooking liquid with 2 cups of water until very smooth, about 2 minutes. White corn takes quite a while to break down in the blender.
Strain the mixture into a mixing bowl. Press firmly on the pulp to extract as much flavor as possible. Would you like a rustic corn soup? Straining the corn mixture gives the soup a very smooth texture. Skip the straining step for a heartier rustic soup. The taste and presentation will be just as good.
Incorporate the Soup Base Into the Cream
Incorporating the blended corn soup base into the cream is an important step. Allow the cream to come to room temperature and allow the blended soup base to cool for 10 minutes before adding to the cream. You need to introduce the base very slowly into the cream so that it doesn’t form lumps.
Spoon the cream into a large mixing bowl then start adding a few tablespoons of soup base at a time into the cream and gently stir to incorporate.
Continue adding a few tablespoons of base at a time while continually stirring.
Once you have added all of the soup base add 2 cups of water and stir for 30 seconds to ensure that all of the soup base and water are incorporated into the cream and there are no lumps in the cream. If there are lumps you can use a wire whisk to break them up.
The Final Steps
Warm 1 cup of chicken broth in a pot but don’t bring the broth to a boil because if the broth is boiling the cream will clump when you pour the mixture into it. Slowly pour all soup base into the broth and then stir immediately.
Simmer for 20 minutes until the soup has thickened and taken on a silky texture.
Serve and Enjoy
This corn cream soup is best served immediately and we recommend serving it as an appetizer portion because it is quite rich. Sometimes more isn’t better. Add a crack of black pepper to each bowl you serve.
One final note: If for some reason your soup has clumps in it even after following the directions to a T. Not a problem. Strain it one final time before serving and you will have a beautiful silky smooth soup and it will be perfect.
Provecho!
Mexican Cream of Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 3 ears of white corn elotes kernels removed (about 3 cups of kernels)
- ½ white onion
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup Mexican cream not sour cream
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil
Instructions
- Over low heat, fry the corn kernels in 2 tablespoons of butter for 5 minutes.
- Chop the onions and garlic and add them to the corn and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water and black pepper to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Blend the sauteed onions, garlic and corn, and cooking liquid with 2 cups of water until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a mixing bowl. Press firmly on the pulp with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible from the corn.
- Allow the cream to come to room temperature and allow the blended corn base to cool for 10 minutes before adding to the cream.
- In a large mixing bowl, add a few tablespoons of soup base into the cream and gently stir to incorporate.
- Continue adding a few tablespoons of base at a time while continually stirring.
- Once you have added all of the soup base add 2 cups of water and stir for 30 seconds to ensure that all of the soup base and water are incorporated into the cream and there are no lumps in the cream.
- Warm 1 cup of chicken broth in a pot but don’t bring the broth to a boil because if the broth is boiling the cream will clump when you pour the mixture into it. Slowly pour the soup base into the broth.
- Very gently simmer the soup for about 20 minutes. Over this time the soup will thicken. Do not allow it to come to a boil or the soup may clump.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use 2 16oz. cans of corn drained if you don’t have fresh elotes.
- You can substitute ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of warm water for the chicken broth.
- If your soup clumps don’t worry. Strain it one final time before serving and you will have a silky smooth soup.
- Skip the straining step and prepare the rest of the recipe exactly the same and you will get a hearty rustic soup.
Nutrition
More Mexican Soup Recipes
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