Mexican corn soup

Soups are underestimated in most cases, in my opinion. They're a part of almost every winter meal, but they tend to have a clear role at the dinner table — as a starter dish or an opening course, almost never the main dish. There are soups that are a full, satisfying meal, such as the Tuscan bread soup or the Hungarian Goulash, which will send you straight for a nap. These kinds of soups are the center of the meal — the ultimate winter comfort food. Summer and spring soups, such as the strawberry soup or the roasted tomato soup, are much lighter and work perfectly as a starter or aperitif — a great appetite opener. The Mexican corn soup (hint: it's not really Mexican…) is a full, satisfying meal as well. A cool mid-week winter dinner with restaurant-style quality on one hand and homey comfort food on the other. The corn soup is made from fresh corn — we cook it with the cobs for extra flavor. You can use pre-cooked corn (from fresh corn, of course) or fresh uncooked corn, but either way, try to avoid canned industrial corn. It tastes totally different and will add a metallic flavor to the soup. The liquid is replaced with chicken stock. It's not a must — you can use water too — but the stock really adds to the umami flavor of the soup. I like to blend the soup with a food processor, but I usually don't strain out the little bits of corn. If you want a restaurant-style soup, use a fine mesh to strain them out and you'll end up with a smooth liquid. Personally, I like my soup to have different textures — it gives the corn soup a countryside look and feel. Lastly, why Mexican? Well, it has all the Mexican fundamentals: corn, coriander, and tortilla. (I would add black beans, but like I said, this is a quick dinner…)