Sweet Corn and Squash Soup

This delicately flavored dish is a choice opener for a meal featuring seasonal vegetables. Chopped chives are a nice garnish if squash blossoms aren't available. Make this up to one day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Gently reheat before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup soup)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 4  cups  fresh corn kernels (about 7 ears)
• 3  cups  water
• 2  cups  chopped yellow squash
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 6  fresh squash blossoms, thinly sliced (optional)

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Place half of corn mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Strain corn mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Repeat procedure with remaining corn mixture. Garnish with squash blossom slices, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

177 (20% from fat)

Fat:

4g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.1g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

6g

Carbohydrate:

35.5g

Fiber:

5.4g

Cholesterol:

5mg

Iron:

1mg

Sodium:

143mg

Calcium:

22mg