Entrée: United States – Charred Corn and Okra Bisque with Lemon-Parsley Finish
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr
Ingredients
4 ears sweet corn, husked (kernels cut off; reserve cobs) or 3 cups (480 ml) kernels + 2 corn cobs
1 small lemon, halved
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil
2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 / 2 to 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (low-sodium), to taste
1 / 4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 cups (240 g) sliced okra (fresh or frozen)
1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups (960 ml) seafood or chicken stock
1 / 2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or evaporated milk
2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp (12 g) thinly sliced scallions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Char the aromatics: Heat a grill pan or broiler. Rub the cut sides of the lemon with a little oil. Lightly char the corn (if using whole ears) and the lemon, cut-side down, until browned in spots. Cut kernels from the cobs; reserve cobs for simmering.
Build the base: In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook until softened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne (if using); cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer and infuse: Add half of the corn kernels, the drained tomatoes, bay leaf, reserved corn cobs, and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 15–20 minutes to extract sweetness from the cobs.
Blend for body: Remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf. Blend the soup base until silky (immersion blender preferred). Return to the pot.
Finish the soup: Add the remaining corn and the okra. Simmer 8–10 minutes until the okra is tender and the soup lightly thickens. Stir in the cream. Squeeze in 1–2 teaspoons juice from the charred lemon (to taste). Season with salt and black pepper.
Serve: Ladle into warm bowls. Top with parsley and scallions. Add a few drops of hot sauce if you like. Adjust with more charred lemon juice at the table to brighten alongside the Cajun crawfish boil.
