Arizona Restaurant Week Recipe: White Truffled Summer Corn Bisque

The second Arizona Restaurant Week recipe is White Truffled Summer Corn Bisque with Organic Basil Essence from Tempe’s House of Tricks. (By the way, this romantic Tempe treasure has one of the prettiest patios in the Valley. Get there during Arizona Restaurant Week and this fall for a breezy lunch.) Enjoy!

White Truffled Summer Corn Bisque with Organic Basil Essence
8 ears Sweet corn (on the cob or frozen)
1 large Yellow onion, julienned
15 cloves Garlic, whole
1 C White wine
2 quarts Chicken stock
½ pound Butter plus 3 T
3 T White truffle oil
1.5 C Cream
To taste Salt and white pepper
Basil Essence (procedure at bottom of post)
2 C Packed basil leaves
1 C Grape seed oil
To taste Salt and white pepper
In a large pot melt 3 tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add julienned onion and whole garlic cloves. Sweat onions until translucent (about 8 minutes). Meanwhile, remove the corn from the cob with a serrated knife (it is best to do this on a kitchen towel to avoid the corn bouncing off the counter top) or use frozen corn. Add the corn and white wine to the onions and garlic and reduce the wine by half. Add the chicken stock and truffle oil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop out the corn, onions and garlic and place into a blender. Add just enough of the stock to cover the corn. Add 1/3 of the butter and blend, adding more stock if needed to achieve the right consistency. Repeat these steps until all of the soup is blended. Then strain through a fine mesh sieve and finish with the cream, salt and white pepper.
Basil Essence
In a clean blender add basil, a pinch of salt and grape seed oil. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and place into a squeeze bottle. Drizzle over the top of the warm bisque and enjoy.