A delightfully flavor chilled soup that's perfect for summer. Features rich and savory smoked corn adds a unique note to this beautiful vegetable soup.
Wood chips, soaked in water for 1 hour (apple or cherry is nice)
Ingredients
4ears of sweet corn,shucked
6 - 8ouncesyellow cherry tomatoes,sliced in half
1large yellow bell pepper,roughly chopped
1small cucumber,sliced (peel if using a thick-skinned field cuke)
1small shallot,sliced
1tablespoonsweet/white miso
1tablespoonsherry or champagne vinegar
1teaspoonkosher salt
1tablespoonminced cilantro
1tablespoonminced fresh dill
Instructions
Smoke the corn
Smoke 3 of the ears of the corn.
Gas grill: preheat one side of grill to high. Charcoal grill: pile hot coals on one of side grill.
Wrap drained wood chips in a flat foil packet, and use a knife to cut slits into the top side.
When grill is hot, place the foil packet over the flame side of the grill (gas grilor directly on the coals (charcoal grill).
When you see tendrils of smoke streaming from the slits in the foil packet, place 4 of the ears of corn on the unheated side of the grill. On a gas grill, close the lid. On a charcoal grill, open all the vents, and position the lid so that the smoke inside will flow over the corn and out the vent in the lid.
Let the corn smoke 20 to 30 minutes. Check periodically to ensure that flames are not reaching the ears and singeing the kernels. The smoking process is finished when the kernels are lightly burnished.
Remove from the grill and let cool.
Prepare the gazpacho
If your miso is thick and pasty, mix it with a tablespoon of hot-to-the-touch (not boiling) water until dissolved.
Add the miso (or miso solution), vinegar, salt, and 1/4 cup of water in a large bowl and whisk until mixed.
Cut the kernels off from all 4 cobs (3 smoked, 1 fresh). Set aside a little of the corn kernels and cucumbers for garnish, if desired. Add the remaining corn kernels, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and shallots to the bowl and toss to coat with the marinade. If possible, let set for 15 minutes.
Scrape the veggies and their juices into the jar of a high-speed blender. Add the herbs, and 1/4 cup of water, and blend on high until very smooth.
Serve in small bowls as an appetizer. Garnish with a sprinkling of the vegetables.