Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup with Grilled Shrimp

Since Brett is STILL out of town, I got a little creative in the kitchen last night, mixing new flavor combinations. I was brainstorming at work thinking about the items in my refrigerator and the veggies from last week that were on their last leg. Corn was specifically on my list, and I had a poblano that I frequently have in house, but am not always sure on how to use it- salsa, huervos rancheros or fajitas are my go-to's.

So I'm not going to lie- I had one hell of a time getting this soup to taste right. Mainly because it was a little outside my comfort zone, even though going through the process I was super confident. I spent forever trying to fix the flavors, but I digress...

I wanted to share this with you to give you some food for thought (literally), on this flavor combination, or to get you thinking about how you would do it differently!

Here is what I did...

Prepare poblano pepper by fire roasting over an open flame until completely charred, place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic and allow to steam for 5 minutes to allow the skin to easily peel off. After 5 minutes, place under running water and begin to peel off skin. Remove top, seeds, and gills and cut into squares.

While poblano is steaming, begin to saute 1/2 a red onion and begin to cut away the corn kernels from the corn cob (2 ears of corn). Add corn, diced poblano, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt & pepper, and allow to saute for 10-15 minutes to allow corn to cook. Add just enough water to cover vegetables, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add in increments to food processor, blending on high until smooth, replace back into pot. Add more seasonings to your liking. Here is where it got crazy on me... I tried adding cilantro, butter, milk, cumin, red pepper flakes, lime and even sugar (because I tasted a slight bitterness). To no avail, guys!

I topped my soup with simply grilled shrimp, sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.



Maybe it will be better today, but let me just say I wasn't too impressed, and thankfully Brett wasn't home otherwise I would have had a hungry husband (shout out to my favorite English teacher for that alliteration- Trisha).

Maybe my corn to poblano ratio was off... Even re-reading this recipe, I think it sounds amazing, but it left me hanging for some reason. I'll try again later and let you guys know how it goes.

Have a great day!

Miso Noodle Soup

Also known as the easiest--and healthiest--version of ramen noodles you'll ever eat, I made this meal last week when I was in a serious time crunch and had some snow peas starting to go soft in the crisper. I currently work as a Learning Specialist at one of the top art and design schools, and I guess finals fever got to my head when my mind paired "easy" and "quick" with "ramen noodles." However, rather than using actual ramen noodles for this dish, I used ramen-style noodles, which I got in the Asian aisle at my local market. In addition to helping me create a more sound food blog entry, choosing ramen-style noodles over ramen soup packets also allows me to make my own seasoning without all the sodium--and without wasting a flavor packet. Also, while you could make this soup using any stock you have available, I opted to use miso paste as it's easy to find at most grocery stores, it's super affordable, and it's versatile, meaning I'm sure I'll find a use for it in a number of other dishes.

Ingredients
1 package ramen-style noodles
1 shallot, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
mushrooms, sliced
snow peas
miso soybean paste

In a large pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the miso paste--I just followed the directions on the back of the package and adjusted it according to my own miso tastes. I also added a dash of mushroom base and soy sauce for added flavor depth. Next, add the onion, garlic, and snow peas and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the noodles and mushrooms and remove from heat. Allow the soup to steep for about 5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.

Alternatively, you can simply add the ingredients to boiling water and wait about 10 minutes for everything to become tender. This is a great alternative for the office or a dorm room where a tea kettle or microwave may be your only option. Ahh, the joy of college nostalgia!