spicy corn soup with shiitakes & green onions

It’s well known that if you roast a chicken, you should put the bones toward a pot of water, where they will simmer—and simmer and simmer—until that liquid turns into gold. The same, it turns out, can be said of corncobs. From a distance, these seem good for little more than the compost bin. But! There is a load of sweet, summery flavor to be drawn out. Less than an hour yields a stock cheery enough to salt and slurp as is, which is good news for any corn soup or stew, from American chowder to Cantonese egg drop. In this version, after the cobs get off work, the vegetables themselves (juicy corn, slippery mushrooms, herby green onions) take a swift dunk—less to cook through, more to warm up while staying sprightly. A shake of whatever hot sauce you love (read: is already in your fridge) adds both kick and acidity to counter all the corny sweetness. My go-to is Cholula’s Green Pepper. Serve the soup with something starchy, like steamed grains or warm bread.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the corn kernels from the cobs. Add the naked cobs to a stockpot along with 8 cups (1.9L) water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to 5 cups (1.2L) and tastes corny. At this point, cut the heat and remove and discard the cobs. Stir in the hot sauce and 1 teaspoon salt, then adjust both to taste.

Step 2

Bring the seasoned broth back to a simmer and stir in the corn kernels and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have significantly wilted and the corn is crisp-tender. Meanwhile, thinly slice the green onions and stir them in to wilt. Season with salt and hot sauce to taste.