Ingredients

Serves 4

4 ears of sweet corn, husks removed
1 onion peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 litre corn stock (see method)
Sea salt flakes
Ground white pepper
8 raw black tiger prawns, peeled and veins removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ripe avocado
1 lime
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil in a little squeeze bottle

Method

Place the water in a large saucepan or pot and bring to a simmer.
Remove the corn kernels from the cobs - using a sharp knife and standing the corn on its end, slice from the top to the bottom. Continue until all the corn is removed from the cob. It’s a bit of a messy job so make sure you have plenty of room on your bench.

Now place the cobs in the simmering water and cook for about 15 minutes. This is your stock. Strain through a sieve and put to one side.

Place the butter and olive oil into a saucepan and place on a low heat. Add the onions and sweat gently until soft. Do NOT colour! Add the corn kernels and sweat without colour for approximately 5 more minutes until the corn is soft.

Add enough of the corn stock to cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and place a couple of cupfuls at a time into a blender.
Be very careful when blending hot soup! Do not over fill blender, only half fill and place a folded tea towel over the lid and press firmly. Pulse blender to get going before increasing speed and purée until the soup is nice and smooth. Place a sieve over a bowl big enough to hold the soup and pour the soup into the sieve. Using a ladle, stir and press the liquid through the sieve and into the bowl. Repeat until all the soup is pureed and passed. Add enough stock to make the desired consistency and add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a saucepan covered with a lid until ready to heat.

When you are ready to serve, peel and dice the avocado finely. Zest the lime, chop finely and add to the avocado along with a generous pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper and the juice of the lime. Mix well. Now using a tea spoon, spoon the avocado into a round ring mould or cookie cutter about 2-3 cm diameter and gently press down until it is about 2 cm high.

Heat you soup bowls. Heat the soup over a low heat stirring often, place a non stick pan over a medium to high heat and  when hot add the olive oil to the pan and add the prawns. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a minute each side or until done. Tip the prawns out onto a plate. Keep warm.

Place an avocado tower in the centre of each plate. Place two prawns on top of the avocado yin and yang, so they join together. Ladle the soup around the avocado and drizzle with a little avocado oil.

Serve with a New Zealand Canterbury Riesling

 

Jimmy is the Executive Chef at Otahuna Lodge in New Zealand:
http://www.otahuna.co.nz