Painted Desert Soup

Two soups in a bowl, make sure the soups are of a similar consistency so that they don't run together when ladled in the bowl. Had lunch at the Blue Mesa Grill in Addison, TX...some of the best Southwestern food I have eaten...I didn't get to try this, but it sounds delicious. This seems like it will take a long to time to get both soups done, so please let me know of any shortcuts you may come up with. Their recipes are posted at bluemesagrill.com...all times are estimated

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• CORN CHILE CHOWDER

• 12  ears corn, leave in husks
• 3  cups  chicken stock or 3  cups broth
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 12  ounces Velveeta cheese, cut up
• 2  tablespoons  canned  jalapenos, finely minced (no juice)
• 1  tablespoon salt
•  cornstarch, as needed
•  cold water, as needed

• BLACK BEAN SOUP

• 1⁄2 lb  hickory smoked bacon
• 1⁄2 lb  chopped yellow onion
• 1  tablespoon  chopped garlic
• 4  cups  uncooked black beans, rinsed and cleaned
•  water, as needed
• 1  cup  chicken stock or 1  cup broth
• 2  teaspoons pureed chipotle chiles
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. CORN CHILE CHOWDER:
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place the corn (in the husk) on a cookie sheet and roast for 50 minutes.
4. Cool, remove husks from corn and cut corn off the cobs.
5. Take 70% of the corn and chicken stock and puree in blender.
6. Pour the puree into a double-boiler and heat over a medium heat until just hot.
7. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
8. Add the remaining whole corn, Velveeta cheese, jalapenos and salt.
9. Continue cooking until cheese has completely melted, sirring often.
10. Mix corn starch and cold water in a separate bowl and add to soup as needed to thicken.
11. Cook on low heat about 8 minutes until it thickens.
12. BLACK BEAN SOUP:
13. Smoke bacon and onions in an outside grill using mesquite wood chips fpr 25 minutes.
14. Saute smoked bacon and onions with garlic in a large pot until they begin to caramelize.
15. Add beans and enough water so that is is 1 1/2" above the level of the beans.
16. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until beans are cooked through, you may have to add more water as it cooks.
17. Add additional ingredients and simmer 30 more minutes.
18. Puree 3/4 of the soup and add back with remaining bean soup.
19. TO SERVE:
20. Simultaneously ladle both soups on opposite sides of the bowl.
21. Drizzle with sour cream and a teaspoons of pico de gallo.