Elote Soup with Pepita Gremolata

Name: Elote Soup with Pepita Gremolata
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: MEXICAN
Ingredients: 8 ears of white corn; 2 Tbs. unsalted butter; 1 white onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, sliced; 2 tsp. ancho or guajillo chile powder, plus more for serving; Kosher salt; 4 1/2 cups (36 fl. oz./1.1 l) vegetable broth; Sour cream, crema or dairy-free crema (see below) for serving; Thinly sliced avocado for serving; Cilantro sprigs for serving; Crumbled cotija cheese for serving; Lime wedges for serving; 2 cups (2 oz./60 g) fresh cilantro leaves; 3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds); 4 garlic cloves; Grated zest and juice of 2 limes; Extra-virgin olive oil as needed; Kosher salt; 1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) blanched almonds or cashews; 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil; Juice of 1/2 lime; 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast; 1 Tbs. chopped shallot; 2 garlic cloves; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

A popular street snack in Mexico, elote—grilled corn on the cob slathered with a mixture of mayo, crema, cotija cheese, chile powder and cilantro—is the inspiration behind this easy yet elegant vegetarian soup. Here we cook the corn kernels in the soup pot for a recipe that’s easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, but if you want a smokier flavor, leave the corn kernels on the cob and cook on a hot grill pan or a medium-hot grill, turning occasionally, until charred all over, about 15 minutes. Set the corn aside until it’s cool enough to handle, then cut off the kernels and proceed with the recipe as directed. If you prefer a dairy-free version, use vegetable oil instead of the butter and omit the crema and cotija cheese, topping the soup with the optional dairy-free crema and toasted salted pepitas instead.

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Ingredients:

For the soup:

8 ears of white corn
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 white onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tsp. ancho or guajillo chile powder, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
4 1/2 cups (36 fl. oz./1.1 l) vegetable broth
Sour cream, crema or dairy-free crema (see below) for serving
Thinly sliced avocado for serving
Cilantro sprigs for serving
Crumbled cotija cheese for serving
Lime wedges for serving

For the pepita gremolata:

2 cups (2 oz./60 g) fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)
4 garlic cloves
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
Extra-virgin olive oil as needed
Kosher salt

For the dairy-free crema (optional):

1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) blanched almonds or cashews
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. chopped shallot
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

To make the soup, shuck the corn. Reserve the husks from 3 of the ears and discard the remaining husks and silk. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs; discard the cobs.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, chile powder and a large pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 1 minute, adding a tablespoon of water to the pot if the mixture begins to scorch. Stir in the corn kernels and continue cooking until the corn is lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved corn husks and broth to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, make the pepita gremolata: In a food processor, combine the cilantro, pepitas, garlic and lime zest. Pulse until the cilantro is minced and the pepitas are coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in the lime juice and enough olive oil to make a thick sauce. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.

If making the dairy-free crema, in a blender, combine the almonds, olive oil, lime juice, nutritional yeast, shallot, garlic and salt and puree until smooth. If necessary, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and puree until the mixture is slightly looser than sour cream. Set aside.

Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove the corn husks and discard. Transfer one-third of the soup to a Vitamix blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir until combined. (If you’d prefer a soup that’s completely smooth rather than having whole corn kernels in it, working in batches, puree all of the soup in the blender and return to the pot.)

Over low heat, warm the soup until heated through. Taste and season with more salt, if desired.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream (or dairy-free crema) and a spoonful of the pepita gremolata. Top with a few avocado slices and cilantro sprigs, and sprinkle with the cotija and a pinch of chile powder. Serve with lime wedges alongside. Serves 4 to 6.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen

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