Chilled Corn Crayfish Soupcreme Fraiche Chives Recipes

CHILLED CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the corn: Hold an ear of corn upright with one end on the cutting board and the other in your non-cutting hand. Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels in rows from the cob. Rotate the corn and cut close enough to the core so that the kernels remain relatively whole, but not so closely that you end up taking fibrous pieces of the cob with you. Repeat with all of the corn. Gather the kernels in a bowl and reserve the cobs.
• Start the soup: Combine half the olive oil and all the scallions with a generous pinch salt and 1/4 cup water in a large saute pan and cook over medium-low heat until they are translucent and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Cook the corn: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same saute pan and add all the corn kernels. Season with salt, then stir in the brown sugar and a generous pinch black pepper. Cook over medium heat until the corn becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Finish: Bring the half-and-half and 1 cup water to a gentle simmer in a medium pot over medium heat and add the cobs. Simmer the cobs gently on low heat until they impart their corn flavor to the half-and-half, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard the cobs. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Add the cooked corn and scallions to the pot and simmer on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Puree half of the liquid and corn in the blender until smooth and pour back into the rest of the soup. Refrigerate until fully cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Serve: Whisk to blend so some of the remaining corn lands in each bowl as you serve the soup. Taste for seasoning. Ladle into the bowls.

CHILLED CORN SOUP WITH CRAB AND CHILE OIL

Steps:

• Cook corn in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to chill ears quickly. When cold, cut off kernels and scrape cobs over a bowl to extract juice, then purée in batches in a blender with milk, salt, and pepper. Force purée through a very fine sieve into a bowl (discard solids) and stir in chives.
• Cut crab shell with kitchen shears and extract meat, then cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Serve soup drizzled with chile oil and sprinkled with crabmeat.

CHILLED RAW CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Combine the corn, bell pepper, jalapeño, onion, tomatoes and garlic in a blender. Add the olive oil, vinegar, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree on high speed until very smooth. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to push it through. Season with salt.
• Refrigerate the soup until cold, 1 to 2 hours. Pour into bowls and top with more corn and a drizzle of olive oil.

CAPELLINI WITH CHIVE BLOSSOMS AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Stir together 3/4 cup creme fraiche, the chive blossoms, chives, and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with butter and creme fraiche mixture, adding enough pasta water to make a light sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place a small dollop of remaining creme fraiche in each of 4 to 6 dishes, and sprinkle with chive blossoms and chives. Divide pasta among dishes. Top with caviar and more creme fraiche. Press egg white and yolk through a sieve, then sprinkle over pasta. Serve immediately.