Fire Roasted Corn Chowder with Sriracha

Ingredients

• 8 ears fresh sweet corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 red onions, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup Sriracha, plus more for garnish
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Smoked paprika, for garnish
• Torn leaves of fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Roast 4 ears of corn over a direct flame (on a preheated grill or over a gas burner) until the corn kernels begin to blacken, turning every few minutes until all sides have roasted.
2. After the roasted ears have cooled, scrape the kernels from the cobs, and reserve. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until softened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, scrape the corn kernels from the remaining 4 ears of corn. Add the raw corn kernels and garlic, and cook until the garlic is aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, Sriracha, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. About 10 minutes before the soup is finished, gently heat the cream over low heat, keeping it just below a simmer.
5. Once the soup has cooked for 45 minutes, discard the thyme and bay leaves. Puree the soup using an immersion blender. (A food processor or blender can be utilized with caution, pureeing the hot liquid in small batches.)
6. Mix in the warm cream and add the reserved roasted corn. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a few lines of Sriracha, a generous sprinkle of smoked paprika, and torn cilantro or parsley leaves.