Roasted Poblano, Sweet Corn, and Potato Soup

Corn! Corn! Corn!  It seems really early for us to be getting such wonderful corn, but I'm certainly not complaining.  We seem to have a bumper crop....great big crispy, sweet kernels and rock-bottom prices.  And I am taking advantage of it in soups, salads, or right on the cob.

I love roasted poblanos because they have that wonderful pepper flavor, but not the heat (see http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blhotchiles.htm for the Scoville Scale which shows different levels of heat in different peppers.)  And bacon, well....what's not better with bacon?

There are different ways to roast pepper, but I'm writing the recipe as I found it (I usually put mine under a broiler until the skin is black and blistered.  Or if you have a gas stovetop, use you roast then over an open flame using tongs.)  To see a step-by-step tutorial, check out the original post at http://iowagirleats.com/2015/05/11/roasted-poblano-sweet-corn-and-potato-stoup/

ROASTED POBLANO, SWEET CORN, and POTATO SOUP (serves 4-5)

2 poblano peppers
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half, rinsed, then thinly sliced
S&P
2 tsp minced garlic
1 medium-sized potato, peeled, and then chopped into 1/2" dice (about 1 cup)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk, divided (I used 2%, but you could use unsweetened almond milk, according to original recipe)
1 cup sweet corn, fresh (about 2 ears) or frozen
2 Tbsp AP flour
fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 425F.  Lightly rub poblano peppers with EVOO then place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through then transfer peppers to a large ziplock bag to steam.  Once cool enough to handle, peel off skin, remove stem and seeds, and then chop (this be done ahead of time).

Meanwhile, crisp bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain, reserving 2 Tbsp bacon grease in the pan.  Add leeks, season with S&P, and then saute until tender and caramelized, 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic then saute until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Add potatoes and peppers into the pot then stir to coat.

Whisk flour and 1/2 cup milk together in a small dish then set aside.  Ad remaining milk and chicken broth to the pot, season with S&P, then turn heat to medium-high to bring soup to a bubble, stirring frequently.  Turn heat back down to medium then simmer until the potatoes are softened, 5 minutes.  Stream in milk and flour mixture while stirring then continue to simmer until soup is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add cooked bacon and sweet corn to the pot then simmer until corn is warmed through.  Taste then add more S&P if necessary, ladle into bowls, and then serve with sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired.

Recipe Source:  http://iowagirleats.com/