Squash Blossom Soup

Sopa de Flor de Calabaza

Serves 6 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Can be made up to 5 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated

This soup pairs the subtle flowery flavors of squash blossoms with the fruitiness of poblanos. Add the sweet crunch of fresh corn and a splash of milk to finish, and you have a summertime hit. After you taste it, you’ll understand why the combination of poblanos, squash, and corn appears in so many Mexican dishes.

You can often find squash blossoms in farmers’ markets—grab them when you see them. In Mexico squash blossoms are found fresh only during the rainy season. Since the demand for squash blossoms extends far beyond those months, companies offer them in cans and jars, available year-round. Though the color, flavor, and texture of fresh blossoms are nicer, bottled or canned blossoms are a reasonable substitute in this recipe if you can find them.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion
• 12 ounces (about 8 cups) fresh squash blossoms, rinsed, drained, and chopped, or two 7-ounce cans squash blossoms, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1½ teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt, or more to taste
• 2 poblano chiles (about 11 ounces), charred, sweated, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-x-½-inch strips (see the sidebar)
• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 4 cups diced zucchini (about 1½ pounds)
• 4 cups broth from Mexican Chicken Broth or canned chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk

1. Heat 1 tablespoon each of the butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat until the butter melts and bubbles. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the squash blossoms, sprinkle with the pepper and ½ teaspoon of the salt, and cook until the blossoms have wilted and are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in the same pot over medium heat until the butter melts. Stir in the poblanos and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn and zucchini and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened but not mushy.
3. Add the broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place half of the cooked squash blossoms and the milk in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
5. Reduce the heat under the pot to low and stir the squash blossom puree into the soup (keep the heat low, or the milk may appear to curdle). Stir in the remaining squash blossoms and heat gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve hot.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: To use fresh squash blossoms, remove the lower part of the stem and rinse them thoroughly. (Little insects appreciate their fragrance as much as we do.) Although some cooks remove the green sepals, I like their crunch. Be sure to rinse canned or jarred blossoms thoroughly.

Poblano Chiles, which are the fresh versions of anchos, are stars in Mexican kitchens, used in a broad range of ways and dishes. Large and wide-shouldered, with a curvy body ending in a finely chiseled tip (see the photo), they are meaty and beguilingly flavorful: flowery and fruity. Think of them less as spicy chile peppers and more as vegetables with a boatload of personality.

Mexicans stuff, pickle, and puree poblanos and use them to flavor soups, creams, and sauces. Poblanos are most famous as rajas (see Creamy Poblano Rajas), where they are charred, sweated, peeled, and cut into strips or squares. Be warned, though: The poblanos are capricious. Their heat can range from mild to hot. To tame them, see the note.