Sweet Chili and Coconut Corn Soup *Award-Winning"

It's a Sunday afternoon and rain is falling lightly over our street. The smell of ozone and freshly moved grass is wafting through the screen windows. It's a damp and humid day, and we feel like curling up on the couch to watch a movie. Not very summer like, is it? Yet it is summer - we have proof:  there are a couple of ears of fresh corn on the counter and soapy-smelling cilantro growing in the garden. Sounds like we're making soup today. Warm, velvety, sweet yet spicy. "Soup is good food," anytime of the year.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk

3 ears corn

juice of one lime

salt to taste

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

cilantro for garnish

Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside, keeping the cobs. Place oil, onions, garlic and coriander in a large pot and heat to medium. Saute until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Stir in the broth and coconut milk. Add the corn kernels and cobs and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove cobs and discard. Add the lime juice, salt, and sweet chili sauce. Blend to thicken slightly using an immersion blender. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro.