Red Pepper, Corn And Leek Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 ears sweet corn
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or 3 tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, cleaned and chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock or 1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
cayenne pepper, to taste (small amount)
6 corn tortillas (optional)
6 teaspoons butter, softened (optional)

Preparation

Remove corn kernels from ears and reserve 1/4 cup of the kernels.
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan.
and leeks and saute over medium, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add red bell pepper and saute another 5 minutes.
Add corn and saute 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Simmer slowly, uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a food processor or blender and process 1 minute on low.
Put through a fine sieve and return to the saucepan (for a coarser soup, you don't have to strain it).
Add cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Reheat on low.
Boil reserved corn for 2 minutes in a pot of boiling water.
Drain.
Pour soup into bowls and garnish with boiled corn.
Warm the tortillas in a microwave or oven.
Butter and serve with soup.