Sweet Corn Shot Soup

My mother Sandra can whip this soup up on short demand. It's great as an easy starter to a special meal or as an addition to a cocktail party, and it also notably suits vegetarians as the soup is blended in its own corn stock.

"To have as an amuse bouche* before an entrée to add sophistication to a formal dinner as provided by some restaurants. Wine option - Tio Pepe Gonzales Byass Jerez (Sherry)!!!!"- Sandra Davies. 

*amuse bouche translates as mouth amuser i.e. a very small bite at the very beginning of a meal - see below TasteTip.

Pictured: Sweet Corn Shot Soup

4 corn cobs
1.5 litres water
Sea salt
1 tbsp butter
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp cream
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Use sharp knife to shear kernels off corn cobs. Place in pan with cold water, add salt and simmer for 30 minutes, then strain reserving the stock.
Melt butter in saucepan, add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the corn kernels and cook for a few minutes. Add strained stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Whiz the soup in the food processor until smooth and strain through a fine sieve, using a scraper to press the utmost juices from the corn. You can prepare up to this point ahead of time.
Gently reheat the soup. Whisk in the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer for 2 minutes. 

Serve hot, warm or chilled in shot glasses. 

Serves 10

Pictured: Sweet Corn Cob

TasteTip - The French began the concept of offering canapés to their guests in the 18th century, and the English adopted the practice at the end of the following century in the 1890's. The modern term amuse bouche or amuse-gueule literally means 'mouth/gob amuser' but can be translated more delicately as 'palate pleaser'. Canapé is a late 18th century French word for sofa or couch representing the thin pieces of fried or toasted bread which acted as seats for the savoury toppings. Another common French canapé is 'vol au vent’ meaning ‘flying in the wind’.