This recipe is from professional chef and restaurateur Natalia Bushyager who believes you can make 1 dish for the entire family including baby. She is equal parts Mother, Chef and Entrepreneur and guided by the philosophy that often the best way to prepare a meal is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. She is owner of Picnic on Third cafe in San Francisco and her culinary style takes inspiration from meals cooked by grandmothers around the world.
With summer around the corner, sweet corn and squash make a perfect pairing, and the recipe uses the whole vegetable (including the cob!) to make a quick stock. The end result is a light but creamy puréed soup that's delicious for the whole family -- including baby friendly by itself and adult chic with the help of a few strategic garnishes.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of yellow corn, kernels removed from cobs and cobs reserved
- 4 yellow summer squash, diced
- 1 yellow onion, cut in half
- 1 stalk of celery, cut into three big pieces
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Bay leaf
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- Green onions, black pepper & nice olive oil to garnish
Instructions
- Start by making a quick stock. Combine the corn cobs, half of the yellow onion (no need to cut it), celery stalk, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes while the rest of the soup is being prepared.
- Meanwhile, heat a soup pot over medium heat. Melt the butter then sauté the onion, squash, and corn with a pinch of salt until the vegetables are just tender and the onions are translucent, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about another minute.
- Reserve ½ a cup of the cooked vegetable mixture to garnish the soup.
- Strain the stock and pour over the remaining sautéed vegetables. Simmer until everything is tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add the cream if using.
- Puree the soup and season to taste with salt and serve as is for younger diners, or garnish with reserved vegetables, sliced green onions, cracked black pepper, and olive oil for the adults. Enjoy!
