00:00Why mass corn's natural sweetness when it's already perfect, right?
00:03Today we're celebrating pill corn potage.
00:06No bouillon, no sugar, no flour.
00:08Just corn's incredible natural magic.
00:11For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website.
00:14Just google corn potage space statue to find me.
00:17First, let's get our oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius
00:21and start on these gorgeous homemade boutons.
00:24Grab about 150 grams of baguette, cut it into slices and stack them up.
00:29Cut them into bite-sized tubes like this.
00:46Place them in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil,
00:511 tablespoon of melted butter, 1 teaspoon of dry mixed herbs, and 8 teaspoon of salt.
00:58Mix everything together until every single piece is evenly coated with that herby battery goodness.
01:04For the mixed herbs, Italian seasonings, or something similar works great.
01:09Use your go-to herb mix for this.
01:11As always, all ingredients and exact measurements for this recipe can be found in the description
01:16box below.
01:18Now spread those trutons over a baking tray in a single layer and make sure they don't overlap.
01:23Each piece needs equal exposure to heat for the perfect consistent browning we're after.
01:29Now fair warning.
01:30This recipe yields plenty of croutons for a generous topping,
01:34and what you might call a texture please, I'm upset with crunch.
01:38When I eat corn potage, I use 2, 3 times the amount a normal person would.
01:43So these measurements are based on my crunch loving standards.
01:47If you're thinking that's way too much, feel free to halve the quantities,
01:52or even go with a quarter of the amount.
01:55Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes.
02:01Let's prepare our corn.
02:03Remove the husk and silk from 2 fresh ears of corn,
02:06then use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels in rows.
02:10While I do this, let's talk about what makes this soup so special.
02:13Corn potage is this incredible thick smooth soup that celebrates corn in its purest form.
02:20The word potage comes from French,
02:22but this dish underwent a fascinating transformation in Japan.
02:26Whilst I as a restaurant fare became a household staple,
02:30especially after Pokka revolutionized convenience food with their canned version in the 70s.
02:36Now it's a beloved Japanese corn food food,
02:38perfect for warming you up with its subtle sweetness and velvety texture.
02:43Make sure to cut just deep enough to remove the kernels without going too deep into the cob.
02:49Kernels are probably going to fly everywhere and there's really no getting around it,
02:54so just embrace the little bit of chaos.
03:00Cut those corn into fairs or quarters, but don't even think about throwing them away.
03:06You might be thinking, what good are these corn anyway?
03:10But they're going to play a major role in adding incredible depth to our soup.
03:16Now for the aromatics.
03:18Heat your pot or pan of medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
03:22Add 100 grams of thinly sliced onion and cook until they become soft and translucent
03:29with beautiful golden edges.
03:31This magical process transforms the onion's sharp bite into mellow sweetness
03:37that perfectly complements corn's natural sugar.
03:40Once they reach this point, reduce the heat to low.
03:44Next, pour 300 milliliters of whole milk into the pan along with a pinch of salt and white pepper.
03:50By the way, please don't use low fat milk here.
03:53You need whole milk to achieve that rich and creamy texture.
03:57And here's where those corn cubes become stars.
04:00Nestle them right into the milk and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
04:05Cubs contain nearly as much sweetness and umami as the kernels themselves.
04:10The area between the kernels and the cob is rich in glutamic acid that creates natural flavor enhancement.
04:17By simmering the cups, you're essentially creating a vegetable stock that intensifies the corn flavor
04:22throughout your soup.
04:24Keep that temperature gentle.
04:26We're looking for tiny bubbles around the edges, not a rolling boil.
04:30Milk proteins and whey can get all clumpy and separated when you cook them at high temperatures.
04:37Keeping the temperature below a boil helps maintain the creaminess and silky mouthfeel we're after.
04:43Once you see those tiny bubbles around the edges, turn off the heat and remove the corn cubes.
04:55Add the corn kernels with another pinch of salt and pepper.
04:58Return to low heat and bring back to the same gentle simmer.
05:03Watch for small bubbles appear around the edges of your pot.
05:06This indicates your soup base is ready for the next step.
05:09Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool slightly before blending.
05:15If you have an immersion blender, that's perfect.
05:17Unfortunately, I don't have one so I'm going to go ahead and use my blender.
05:22My blender jug is glass so it can cope with hot liquids but if your blender is plastic,
05:28wait for the soup to cool first.
05:30Working in batches if necessary, blend the corn potage until completely smooth.
05:40If you prefer some texture, pulse the blender for short intervals.
05:50For restaurant-quality smoothiness, blend longer and definitely consider the straining step that follows.
05:58Now, pour the blended soup through a fine-meshed sieve using a spatula to gently press the mixture through.
06:05This removes any remaining fibre or small pieces that escaped the blender,
06:10resulting in a truly silky texture that causes the spoo.
06:15While straining is optional, it's the difference between good and absolutely sublime.
06:21Time for the final seasoning and this step is crucial.
06:25Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
06:27And remember, salt doesn't just add saltiness.
06:30It actually makes the corn's natural sweetness stand out more.
06:34Add it gradually, testing as you go.
06:36When using peak season fresh corn, you might find your soup tastes almost dessert-like in its sweetness,
06:42so you need salt to balance it out.
06:44The goal is to reach a point where you taste the corn's beautiful sweetness first,
06:49followed by a subtle richness that lingers pleasantly after each spoonful.
06:54Not sweet all the way through, we want the perfect balance.
06:58That's why the salt is so important.
07:00Serve this warm in bowls, drizzled with fresh cream if you like,
07:05and topped with your homemade croutons for the perfect balance of creamy comfort and satisfying crunch.
07:18And there you have it!
07:20Corn potage does celebrate everything beautiful about corn.
07:23Like many soups, the flavors actually improve after resting in the refrigerator
07:28as all the ingredients melt together beautifully.
07:31Want even more delicious recipes?
07:34Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
07:38Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time,
07:40and if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box
07:45with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.
07:48Here we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now,
07:50and if you want to watch more similar videos,
07:52don't miss my soup playlist popping up on your screen as well.
07:55Thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye!
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