Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

This soup is inspired by the raw sweet summer corn, I tasted at our local farmers market years ago. Ever since, it’s been my absolute favorite way to eat corn, straight off the cob, crisp and bursting with sweetness. This is the kind of corn you should use for this soup! The cobs are simmered in a light stock and the kernels are added at the very end of cooking for freshness and maximum flavor.
I puree about 2/3 of the soup because I like the chunky texture. It is topped with a swirl of greek yogurt and freshly ground black pepper and served with a punchy grilled garlic pita, but you can alternatively bake them, either way is super tasty.

Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the soup:
5 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 cm dice
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups vegetable stock or filtered water
3 large Yukon Gold (boiling potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 dice 
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic pitas:
3 pitas, spilt in half crosswise, to form 2 circles
3 garlic cloves, minced
30 gr. soft room temp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme

To serve:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Soup:
Lay the ears of corn flat on a cutting board, using a sharp knife, slice off all the kernels and place them in a medium bowl. Keep the ears of corn on a separate plate and set both aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add stock or water, the 5 reserved ears of corn, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove ears of corn with tongs and discard. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a knife. Add the reserved corn kernels and cook for 3 minutes more.

Take soup off the heat and add 1/4 cup heavy cream. Puree with an immersion blender to the consistency of your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
 
Garlic pita:
Preheat the oven to 200°c or an outdoor gas or charcoal grill.

In a small bowl place all the ingredients and mix with a spoon to combine. Spread over the pitas

Baked: Arrange in a single layer on parchment lined baking pans. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden and crispy.

Grilled: Place pita halves on a hot preheated grill. Grill quickly on both sides for 1-2 minutes or just until edges are lightly charred and crispy and center is still soft. Remove and serve immediately.

To serve: Divide soup among bowls, top with a tablespoon of yogurt, freshly ground black pepper and serve with garlic pita. xx