- 1 large jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
- 4 fresh plum tomatoes – peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- Roast the jalapeno on a skewer directly over a gas flame or in a pan under the broiler, turning, until charred all over. Transfer the jalapeno to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel, core, seed and finely chop the jalapeno. In a small bowl, combine the jalapeno with the vinegar and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the corn and garlic and cook, stirring, until the corn is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the corn is tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1 1/2 cups of the corn to a blender, add the creme fraiche and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Return the puree to the soup.
- Add the tomatoes, scallion and 1 tablespoon of cilantro to the soup and cook until heated through. Ladle the soup into 4 shallow bowls, garnish with cilantro, the jalapeno and a drizzle of the chile vinegar. Serve hot.