Chilled Corn Soup With Tomatoes, Avocado, and Lime

I made this for supper club last weekend (theme was Mexican, loosely), and this was stupendous. First, if it is hot where you are (and it is sure hot where I am), this is a perfect appetizer. We all thought our body temperatures cooled off several degrees just eating. It is also tastes so, so good. My goodness. This recipe comes from Jody Adams, from the "In the Hands of a Chef" cookbook. This is also a two day recipe, perfect for when you are hosting a summer supper (you make most of it ahead, and just do assembly and cutting of the avocado right before). I am writing this as I made it, and I doubled it; it goes without saying you could easily halve this. I also make my own creme fraiche, and here is how I do it: I mix one cup of whipping cream with 2 tbsp of buttermilk, and put in a jar with a lid. I do this one day before I want to use it. I let it sit out over night and then refrigerate it the next morning - and then I use it later in the day (they say it will stay good for 10 days).

• Ready In: 48 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 12  ears corn, husked
• 2  white onions, small and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
•  kosher salt and white pepper
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2  medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise and swirled vigoro
• 2  shallots, thinly sliced
• 2  avocados, ripe and diced to 1/4-inch dice
• 1  cucumber, small and cut to 1/4-inch dice
• 2  tomatoes, small and cut to 1/4-inch dice
• 4  tablespoons red onions, diced to 1/4-inch
• 2  limes, juice of these two limes
• 4  ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1⁄2 cup creme fraiche
• 4  tablespoons chives, fresh and chopped

Directions

1. The day/night before serving:.
2. Use a sharp knife, and strip the corn kernels from the cob. Put the corn kernels in a bowl for later, and place the stripped cobs in a large stockpot. Add the sliced white onion to the stockpot, and with just enough water to cover (too much water makes the stock too thin). Season with salt and pepper, bring the stock to a boil, and then simmer for 35 minutes. Discard the cobs when finished simmering.
3. While the stock is simmering, heat the olive oil in a saute' pan over medium heat. Add the leek and shallot, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook, the corn should still taste fresh. Remove from heat and set aside until the stock finishes cooking.
4. Add the sauteed vegetables to the corn broth (once cobs removed) and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Strain the broth into a bowl and puree' the solids in a blender, adding just enough of the broth to make a thick soup.
6. Put soup in a bowl, cover, and stick it in the fridge until ready to eat the next day.
7. Day you're serving:.
8. Mix the cucumber, tomato, and diced red onion in a bowl with salt, pepper, and lime juice; refrigerate til serving.
9. Dice the salmon and reserve for serving.
10. Just before serving:.
11. Cut the avocado and add to tomato/cucumber/onion mixture.
12. To serve:.
13. Distribute salmon evenly among 8 bowls, place a little mound of it in the bottom of the bowl. Ladle the soup into the bowls. Add a large spoonful of the chopped tomato/cucumber/avocado/onion mixture to the top of each bowl. Add a spoonful of creme fraiche, a sprinkle of chives, and serve immediately.