Sopa de Elote (Mexican Corn Soup)

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray
5 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium-size clove of garlic, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped (2 ribs)
1 large ripe tomato or 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 medium-size fresh poblano chilis, seeded and cut into 2-by-¼-inch strips
¼ cup chopped cilantro, divided
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup light sour cream

Directions

1. Place corn in a 4-quart pot with chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the corn from the broth and reserve.
2. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.
3. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and celery for 5 minutes until softened. 
4. Purée the onion mixture, broth, corn and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. Add purée to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Using the same nonstick skillet, sauté chilis in the remaining teaspoon of oil for 5 minutes. Add to the pot along with the reserved corn. (The peppers will blacken and become soft). 
6. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro and the salt and pepper to the soup; cook for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Add sour cream and blend well. Garnish each serving with 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
8.  

Cooking Notes

Substitute plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt for the light sour cream, or make a non-dairy version with your favorite vegetarian sour cream or yogurt.

Two pounds of frozen corn kernels or about 10 ears of fresh corn will yield 5 cups.