Spicy Tomatillo Soup with Roasted Corn

1.Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2.Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft and slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3.While the tomatillos are roasting, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the corn with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until the kernels are charred and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

4.In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

5.Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeño to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

6.Stir in the ground cumin and smoked paprika, cooking for 1 minute to release their flavors.

7.Once the tomatillos are cool enough to handle, roughly chop them and add to the pot along with any juices from the baking sheet.

8.Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

9.Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.

10.Cut the kernels off the cooled corn cobs and add them to the soup.

11.Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

12.Serve the soup hot, garnished with diced avocado and crumbled queso fresco if desired.