Back in college, one of my favorite dishes in the dining hall was Sedona corn soup.* I think it was meant to be a side dish, but whenever they had it, I’d ladle up a big bowl of it and have that for dinner by itself. When my family was in Arizona several years ago, we took a day trip to Sedona, where I was slightly crestfallen that I didn’t find any corn soup on the menu at the restaurant we picked. Granted, it was about 100 degrees, so maybe it would be more accurate to say that I was slightly crestfallen but also rather relieved that I wouldn’t feel obligated to slurp down a bowl of hot soup. All I knew about Sedona before visiting was that there was a soup named after the place, so it was a rather interesting experience. I may not have found corn soup, but besides all the crystal and vortex and mystic hoopla, I did find this:
And this:
I…don’t even know what to think about these. But anyway, Sedona truly is a very beautiful place and I enjoyed our visit.
Later on, I decided to try recreating the soup on my own. Although it didn’t turn out quite like the dining hall’s version, it’s mighty tasty in its own right.
*I believe California Pizza Kitchen also has a Sedona corn soup on its menu, but as I’ve never ordered it, I don’t know how it compares to the one my college’s dining hall makes.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 7-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons onion, diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped finely
- 1 pound corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/3-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add tortilla squares and cook until crisp and golden.
- Add garlic, onion, and jalapeño to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add half of the corn (if using frozen, microwave until warm), tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices. Cook 5 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, bring water and vegetable stock to a boil. Add vegetable and tortilla mixture and boil for 5 minutes.
- Use a large glass measuring cup to scoop half of the soup into a blender. Blend until homogenous in appearance, then return to pot. Add remaining corn.
- Bring soup to a boil once again and boil for 2 minutes. Serve and garnish with cilantro and cheese (if desired).
- Adapted from Petitchef.
Sedona has some great corn soups in various restaurants. The best may be at Réné in Tlaquepaque … one of the best places for anyone who likes good food.
Thanks for the suggestion – I’ll keep that in mind!