Cold corn soup with popcorn and salsa

We had a strange but tasty lunch at Eugene City Bakery, and decided that we just had to make it at home.


Begin by sauteing one large onion and two yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped, in some olive oil until tender. In the saute, include also some salt (to help the onions tenderize) and ancho chili powder. Cut the corn off of three or four ears and add to the pot, along with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil.


With an immersion blender, puree the veggies. Also mix in one four-cup tub of non-fat plain yogurt.




Do not reheat the soup: the idea is to have it cold. Do, however, add a lot more spices — your tongue is less sensitive when the food it is tasting is cold, and you probably have spiced the soup for hot. In addition to a bit more salt and ancho, blend in a some curry and tarragon (both of which go wonderfully with cream).



Pop a pot of popcorn, and flavor the popcorn with salt and paprika. Also make a fresh salsa of tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Serve the soup cold with popcorn and salsa mixed in at the table.



As odd as the pairing might sound, this dinner was one of our best.