Sopa de Calabacitas (Zucchini Soup)
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Makes 6 first course servings

I made substantial changes to this recipe which I have included here. The original calls for a lot more cream (1 cup) which is too rich for my taste, but feel free to add as you like. Fresh epazote can be hard to find – I used dried as I was sauteeing the onions and added slightly less fresh dill.

1/2 lb. poblano chiles
1 1/2 lb. zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 cup chopped white or yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
3 tbsp. chopped fresh epazote leaves
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup heavy cream

Roast poblanos: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place poblanos on a baking sheet and bake until brown and wrinkled, about 15 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven and carefully wrap a sheet of foil to cover the baking sheet. Let rest 10 minutes, then carefully remove the foil. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard the seeds and ribs.

Make soup: Cook zucchini, onion, garlic and 1 1/2 tsp salt in a wide pot, over medium heat, stirring often until vegetables are softened. Add broth, water, poblanos, and corn and simmer, partially covered, until corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Puree 2 cups soup in a blender with cilantro, dill or fresh epazote, and jalapeno until smooth (use extreme caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot. Stir in cream, pepper and salt to taste. (Soup can be made one day ahead. Allow to cool completely, then cover and store in refrigerator.)