Spicy Roasted Tomato and Corn Soup

Ingredients

• 2 ripe but firm heirloom tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt
• 3 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed + 1 ear of fresh corn, as garnish
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 fresno chile peppers
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 3 ½ cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or creme fraiche, as garnish

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a parchment-lined 1-inch rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Transfer to the oven to roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly shriveled. Note: If you don’t have a 1-inch rimmed baking sheet, use a glass baking dish; the tomatoes will release a lot of juices, which could make a mess in your oven!
2. 2
   At the 25 minute mark, add the corn kernels, in one layer, to the baking sheet. Roast for an additional 15 minutes, until the corn has softened. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool enough to handle.
3. 3
   Meanwhile, in a medium pot or Dutch oven, set over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil glistens and is hot, add the shallots, fresno chile peppers, red bell pepper and a few pinches of salt; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and the peppers have softened. Add the minced garlic, ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper; cook for an additional minute, until very fragrant.
4. 4
   Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the stems and core. Add the tomatoes and corn kernels to the pot with the rest of the ingredient; pour in the chicken broth and cover the pot, cooking the soup at a simmer for about 15 minutes. As an added bonus and entirely optional step, you can add the leftover cobs to the soup to infuse more of a corn flavor.
5. 5
   If you own an immersion blender, you can use it to blend the soup until very smooth. If not, no biggie. Add the soup to a blender, in batches, blend until very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. If you like, you can run the soup through a strainer (I did this step); if you’re feeling lazy, you’re welcome to skip this step! Transfer the blended soup back to the pot and warm over medium low heat. Give the soup a taste and adjust any of the spices and salt according to taste.
6. 6
   For the garnish, place the extra ear of corn on the grates of your stovetop. Turn the flame to high and char the cob on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the charred kernels off the cob and set aside. Divide the soup amongst bowls. Top with a drizzle of heavy cream or creme fraiche and the charred kernels.