Corn soubise is not your traditional French sauce—and that’s precisely what makes it so exciting. While classic soubise is a velvety blend of onions, béchamel, and butter, this reimagined version swaps out the onions for the bright, summery sweetness of corn. Chef Ben Ortiz developed corn soubise as the signature base for his acclaimed dish—Chilean Sea Bass with Lump Crab—where it plays the role of both sauce and starch, lifting the seafood without overwhelming it.
The sauce begins with ground sweet corn, its natural sugars further enhanced with a touch of added sugar, then thickened with flour and enriched with heavy cream. The result is a silky, golden canvas that’s just as elegant spooned under seared scallops or grilled chicken as it is under a fine piece of fish. It’s a smart and flavorful substitute for heavier starches like mashed potatoes or rice.
Despite its fine-dining roots, corn soubise is very simple to prepare. A few pantry ingredients and a grater are all you need to bring this luxurious, modern sauce to life. It’s an approachable upgrade that transforms everyday meals into something special—no culinary degree required.
Let’s Make Corn Soubise!
The first step is to grate the frozen corn on the cobs by hand to create a corn powder. Please don’t waste your time doing this any other way, because it will not finish properly if you process the kernels mechanically. It is really not difficult when you get the hang of it, especially for the small quantity needed at home.
I did get a chuckle as Chef described the caterwauling of kitchen staff assigned to this task, similar to that of Army cooks peeling mountains of potatoes!
Combine the corn powder, chicken bouillon granules, sugar, water and cream in a large heavy bottom pot and bring it to a boil.
While waiting for the boil make a slurry by whisking together 1-1/4 cups water and 1-1/4 cups flour, then add the slurry to the boiling corn mix. Stir and cook for an additional 20 minutes at a low boil to fully cook the flour.
As it cooks it will thicken to a finished sauce. Use it immediately, or allow it to cool and freeze until ready to use. Thaw in the fridge two days before re-heating Print
Corn Soubise
A sweet and creamy corn sauce to accompany meat or fish
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 8 frozen ears of corn or 16 frozen cobbettes
- 3 TBL chicken flavored bouillon granules
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 –1/4 cups water – divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1–1/4 cups AP flour
Instructions
- Grate the corn with a hand grater straight from the frozen cobb. Use an oven mitt to handle the frozen corn and protect your fingers! This creates what looks like a powder. Don’t cut the kernels off the cob first, or use a blender or food processor. Only hand grating will give you the right texture
- Place the powdered corn, chicken bouillon, 3 cups of water and cream in a heavy bottom pot and bring it to a boil
- While waiting for the boil make a slurry by whisking together the flour and 1-1/4 cups of water
- When the corn mix is at a low boil, add the slurry and cook 20 more minutes to fully cook the flour. As it cooks it will thicken to a sauce. If it gets too thick, just add a little water and whisk
- Use it immediately, or allow it to cool and freeze it in an airtight container until ready to use. Thaw in the fridge two days before re-heating
Notes
Recipe and instructions courtesy of Chef Ben Ortiz, former executive chef at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas.