Creamy Corn Potage (Japanese Corn Soup)

It’s corn! 🌽🎶

This TikTok song has been stuck in our heads for weeks! But we don’t mind because corn is amazing! We were inspired to make corn potage, a Japanese creamy corn soup.

Corn potage is a thick and creamy vegetable soup made from sweet corn, butter, onions, milk, and herbs. It is a western-style dish, also known as yoshoku, that highlights the delicious flavors of sweet corn.

Our recipe is easy to follow and takes only 30 minutes to make. It’s perfect for hot days in the summer, and cold days in the winter!

Keep reading to see how we make it!

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What is corn potage?

Corn soup is a type of vegetable soup made primarily from corn. The word potage comes from French cuisine, which means that the soup is pureed into a smooth, thick consistency using a blender or food processor.

Corn soup is a popular and hearty dish in many cultures. Japanese corn soup is sweet and creamy, and it’s easy to make at home.

History of corn potage in Japanese cuisine

Corn was brought to Japan by the Portuguese in the late 1500’s. It was grown domestically in Hokkaido starting in the 1900’s, and since then corn has become a staple in the Japanese diet.

With the cultivation of corn and the influence of Western cooking techniques, the Japanese corn potage was born.

Today, corn potage is a popular yoshoku dish that is served cold in the summer months. It can also be served warm during the winter months.

Making corn potage using canned corn vs. fresh corn

You can make corn potage using either canned corn or fresh corn. Sweet yellow corn is preferred, but white corn works well too.

Canned corn is easy to use; all you have to do is drain it and then add it to the other ingredients in a saucepan.

It is also more cost effective and available year-round in stores. The downside is that most canned corn are already boiled, so much of the flavor is lost.

Fresh corn is a little more costly, requires some preparation, and available during only harvest season.

However, it also has a deeper, richer flavor than the canned variety. The cobs also carry a lot of flavor with them, so you will get a more robust taste of corn in your soup if you cook with fresh corn.

We recommend using fresh corn if you can obtain it and have time to prepare it. Otherwise, go ahead and use canned corn.

When grocery shopping for this recipe, there was only one pack of fresh corn left on the shelf. We decided to use this fresh corn and supplement it with canned corn.

This way, we could enjoy the flavor of fresh corn (and utilize the corn cobs) while still having the convenience of canned corn. It was a win-win!

Tips for making corn potage

Here are some tips we learned from making corn potage:

• Utilize all the corn flavor you can! We used not only the kernels, but also the cobs and the water that the corn was pre-boiled in.
• If you prefer a thick and chunky soup, feel free to skip the straining process! You can even add some whole kernels as garnish.
• Some blenders are not meant to be used with hot food. If that is the case, we recommend allowing more time for the soup cool down before blending.

How to eat corn potage

Corn potage is typically eaten cold, but you can also enjoy it warm. Try it with some toasted bread or croutons for a heartier meal.

Corn potage can be eaten as an appetizer, or as part of a complete meal. Try it with other yoshoku dishes like curry rice or hambagu!

Ingredients

• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 can sweet corn
• 1 small onion
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¾ cup cream
• 3 cups water or reserved boiled corn water
• salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

• croutons
• mitsuba Japanese parsley

Recipe

Prepare fresh corn

1. Boil corn for 3-5 min in enough water to cover (about 4-6 cups)
2. Remove from heat, reserve the water. Rinse the corn with cold water so it is cool enough to touch.
3. Shave the kernels off. Reserve both the boiled corn water and corn cobs.

Make Corn Potage

1. Saute onions with corn kernels (canned or blanched)

2. Add cobs and 3 cups water (or reserved boiled water). Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 min.

1. Remove cobs
2. Blend the soup and strain it back to the pot using a mesh sieve (optional, see notes)
3. Add butter and cream. Heat the soup until the butter is melted.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with chopped mitsuba. Serve with croutons.

Final Thoughts

Sweet corn takes center stage in this deliciously simple soup. It is easy to make but yields spectacular results. Experience the wonderful flavor of corn with this easy recipe!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/08/19/food/japans-historic-love-corn/

https://food52.com/hotline/7804-do-you-cook-the-corn-before-cutting-it-off-the-cob-or-is-it-raw

https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-buy-prep-cut-fresh-corn

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/corn-potage-recipe

https://justhungry.com/history-corn-japan-recipe-chilled-corn-soup

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottage