Gabrielle’s Winter Creamed Corn and Tomato Soup
Tomato and Corn Soup Recipe
Tomato and Corn Soup RecipeLast week in writing about my confessions of coffee snobbery got me thinking about food snobbery in general. You know what I mean; “If it’s not seasonal, local, and organic then it’s not going on my table”, or the “fast food… forget about it” crowd, (unless it is from a fast food chain that has a cult following and then it is ok).
Then there is the tamed down version of a food snob, a foodie. Another title which not long ago many wore as a badge of honor yet over the last couple years has sullied into a term most of us would prefer not be labeled. It doesn’t carry the same “holier than thou” connotation as a food snob, but its minions have managed to tarnish the usage in the general public’s eye.
Check out urban dictionary for foodie and the first entry you get sounds kind of appealing: “A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation.” But that entry was from back in 2006, nearly a century ago in today’s digital age. Think about it, Myspace was THE Thing back then.
Second entry for foodie in urban dictionary is a bit more modern, “A douchebag who likes food.” Ouch.
However all of this focus on food and its qualities in our recent history has been a great thing. Farmers markets are thriving, the populace in general has an increased awareness in their food, where it comes from, and in its quality. American restaurants and cuisine is no longer the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Things of the past which were feared nearly lost; home gardens, canning, curing meats are now not only no longer at risk of being forgotten, they are cool to do. Nothing like buying a slab of pork belly and making your own bacon for a little bad-ass recognition around the water cooler.
We all are a part if it, one way or another. From those who are embarrassingly fanatical to the impassive home gardener. Together we influence the food culture surrounding us, from our home kitchens, to our markets, to the farmers’ fields. Where do you stand in the food cycle?
For Diane and me, it seems hard to define in words. We’re massive garden geeks, building our garden around most things edible. We’d rather spend a Friday night making puff pastry or doing a roast than hitting the clubs (God we are getting old-although we did that in our 20’s so go figure). We can appreciate the artistry behind a 3 star restaurant but more often hit up a well-ran gastropub, and we are more than happy with the occasional Shake Shack or other burger run.
Warm & Comforting Tomato and Corn Soup Video:
Even with us growing so much of our own food and having amazing farmers’ markets surrounding us nearly all week long, we still have a pantry stocked with a few nice canned goods to supplement our own summertime canning. There are times when you come home and want something quick and uncomplicated. And fixing up a meal from canned ingredients doesn’t automatically make you a Sandra Lee.
Anytime I think about the subject of canned foods, a particular friend comes to mind.
Her name was Gabrielle. An amazing artist, world traveler, and a kind soul. She was living on a houseboat and when Diane and I were in her area, she invited us over for an afternoon chat. We settled into the cozy cushions in the “living room” while she effortlessly made a quick soup using canned tomatoes and creamed corn. Served with a crust loaf of bread while the salty, cool ocean air wrapped around our senses and it was one of those perfect meals you never forget.
This incredible tomato corn soup was humble, deeply satisfying and truly made from the heart. That’s what good food is about, nurturing what you have on hand, made with love and from the heart.
Even though is has probably been over a decade since we’ve seen Gabrielle, there isn’t a time when we have the soup in which we don’t think of her. And for us, a meal from a can will never automatically carry a negative connotation.
-todd
We’re re-sharing this favorite recipe, originally published in 2012, with a new video for you all. Thank you!
Gabrielle's Simple Tomato and Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 15 oz. (425 g) diced tomatoes , if you use salt-free then add salt to taste
- 15 oz. (425 g) creamed corn
- 1 cup (236 g) low fat milk
- 1/2 medium onion , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- about 3-4 green onion stalks , chopped
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat medium pot, add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and garlic and cook until transluscent.
- Add canned tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes until combined well with onion/garlic mixture.Add canned creamed corn and milk. Stir to combine evenly, then slowly bring to boil.
- Reduce heat, add green onions and salt/pepper to taste.Cook for about 5 minutes until soup is combined well. Serve warm with your favorite bread or crackers.
Thank you for sharing this. Beautifully written.
I never cooked much until this past summer, and boy was I was spoiled for those first few months of kitchen experiments. Between the yield of our garden and purchases from the farmer’s markets in our area, we were never short on fresh produce. On top of that, I had lots of time on my hands during those summer months, which is always nice (and necessary) when cooking fresh foods.
Come late August, school picked back up and many of my favorite farmer’s markets closed their doors for the seasons. I then found myself in a bit of a quandary. I truly felt bad about purchasing the not-so-vibrant produce from the grocery stores, and I would get worked up about how dishes would compare if *gasp* I had to use a frozen or canned veggie in place of something fresh.
Truth be told, when it comes to a lot of things there isn’t a significant difference. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing like fresh produce, and I still try to eat seasonal produce from the one farmer’s market that remains open. But in the big picture, a can of diced tomatoes will easily suffice in place of garden-grown tomatoes. Plus, canned and frozen vegetables are simple solutions on evenings when I’m pressed for time.
This looks delicious and I will be sure to try it. I’m glad you embraced canned vegetables in this recipe. I won’t feel bad about it ever again!
I made this soup, Gabrielle, it’s brilliant. THX for posting it here, my ultimate favorite food blog. 🙂
Toni
This looks like a fantastic, simple, weeknight supper recipe. We all the need the reminder that delicious food doesn’t always need to be complicated!
Simple and delicious! very beautiful pics, too 😉
This reminds me of the first soup I learned to make way back in 6th grade home ed class. I believe it was a can of condensed tomato soup with canned whole kernel corn. I think I need to revisit that recipe soon.
What a cool story! Isn’t that what we really love about food? It’s a way to care for somebody…
Thank you for this thoughtfully written post and the timely reminder of what good food is — nurturing. This soup looks warming in every sense of the word, and I will be making it. Your post reminds me so much of my mother, who is always saying, “Oh, I’m not a very good cook.” But she is — her food is wholesome, homemade, simple, and filling. Her mother, my grandmother, cooked the same way. Grandmother taught me how to make bread. I still have some of her recipes, and the pancake recipe my great-great grandmother used on the Oregon Trail. It is not how fancy something is, as you point out; it is the thought that goes into it, and the gift of sharing.
Creamed corn is a fave of mine – from childhood. Can’t tell you the last time I had it. I need to work it into soup. I love the simplicity of this one, and the gorgeousness!
This is definitely added to my must-try list for soups. Looks delicious!
Thiiiiis is stunning. I’ll take 45 bowls.
Love this! Such a pretty and tasty looking soup 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious!!! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Timely that this post came out just after Hostess announced they were shutting down, citing consumer’s healthier eating habits as one of the reasons they can’t survive. I don’t mind taking the jokes about my obsessiveness about food if it helps others cook and eat better, and I don’t mind taking the smirks from fellow diners when I snap a photo of what I’m having if it helps educate readers about great spots to dine. But in the end – and I’ve written about this many times on my blog – the whole world of food comes down to an 80/20 rule for me. Cooking from scratch versus using canned ingredients, local versus food from across the planet, healthy food versus junk food, organic versus conventional, high quality meals versus something you can’t identify (and just now isn’t good food) from a fast food restaurant. None of us are perfect, nor do we have the time to be when it comes to our diets. I joked on Twitter a week or so ago that I had driven 90 minutes north to pick up my organic, all natural hog from the processor then stopped for a hot dog at Costco on the way home – now that’s an 80/20 rule example for sure!
This soup sounds so good and I love how convenient it would be to make. That top photo is soooo gorgeous!
Creamed corn in soup? That sounds completely amazing. Loved the “foodie” story!!
I love this post – I could not do without things like tinned tomatoes and pre-soaked beans, especially in the winter when I want hearty food quickly – and this recipe looks divine. Quick question from someone not based in the US, however – what is creamed corn, and what could I use as an equivalent (as I’ve never seen it in the UK)? Would I be okay to blitz up some fresh corn kernels in a food processor and use them instead? Any advice gratefully received!
Carley
Thanks Carley. To answer your question about the creamed corn, it is a basically corn kernels cooked in milk or cream. There are simple or more elaborate ways to make it. This recipe (Creamed Corn Recipe) is a good middle of the road version. If you wanted to do something similar for the soup without making a whole batch of creamed corn, I would start with cooking a bit of onion in butter until soft. Add the corn kernels and a touch of water, cook gently for 10 minutes, then add enough cream to almost cover the kernels and a touch of sugar then cook for another 4-5 minutes. Next add the rest of the soup ingredients and finish.
Or just thrown in a few corn kernels and touch of cream to the soup. 😉
As simple or complicated as you like! Hope that helps!
T
Oh this soup sounds amazing! If making my own creamed corn (I don’t think I can find the already canned stuff around here) should I use fresh or canned corn? Thanks!