Corn Soup

Source: Bon Appetit August 2008
Here's a confession; I don't really love corn on the cob. I like it if it is REALLY excellent corn, but only one delivery of my super awesome CSA met my straight up corn standards. I think it is years of braces that did it for me. That said, I love the flavor of fresh corn and this recipe captures it in a soup. Unfortunately, I made it as a main course, and it is really more of an appetizer. After straining it, it is really smooth and velvety but not hearty enough to stand alone. But the lightness of the texture with the sweet corn flavors makes it an EXCELLENT summer appetizer. OR, it would be a nice side to a good salad. Make this with the last of your summer corn.

Ingredients
Soup:
3 cups whole milk
3 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs, cobs broken in half and reserved
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups water
2 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
Ground white pepper

Garnish:
2 thick bacon slices, diced
1/3 cup fresh corn kernels cut from about 1/2 ear of corn
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of cayenne pepper Crème fraîche,* stirred to loosen

Instructions

1. Cut kernels off cob, set kernels aside. Bring milk to a boil with cobs, remove from heat, cover, and let steep while you cook veggies.

2. Sweat onion in butter until translucent, add corn kernels, carrot, celery, garlic and cook until soft. Salt veggies.

3. Add 2 cups water, herb sprigs, bay leaf, and

milk with corncobs. Increase heat and bringto boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low,and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Discard corncobs, herb sprigs, and bay

leaf. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches,puree soup in blender until very smooth.Strain into large bowl, pressing on solids toextract as much liquid as possible. Seasonsoup to taste with salt and white pepper.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.Cover and chill.

For garnish:

Cook bacon in small skilletover medium heat until crisp. Using slottedspoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.Transfer to small bowl. Mix in corn, greenonion, and pinch of cayenne. DO AHEAD:Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Rewarm soup over medium heat.

Divide among bowls. Sprinkle garnish over,drizzle with crème fraîche, and serve.

* Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty

foods stores.

milk with corncobs. Increase heat and bringto boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low,and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

4. Discard corncobs, herb sprigs, and bayleaf. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches,puree soup in blender until very smooth. I used a hand immersion blender. Strain into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. It would help if you had one of those cone shaped sauce strainers, which I do not.

5. Season soup (liberally) to taste with salt and white pepper

For garnish:

Cook bacon and drain. Mix in corn, greenonion, and pinch of cayenne. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle garnish over,drizzle with crème fraîche, and serve.