Fresh Corn Soup

Combine lovely September rains with an abundance of fresh sweet corn on sale, and you have the makings of a perfect situation for corn chowder. Now, let's say your mama also got you an immersion blender for an early birthday present-an immersion blender that you've been debating on purchasing for FOUR years!-and really, how can you resist making perfect, pulverized, homemade goodness? I know I couldn't.

This recipe is really simple and so fresh. The only thing that made it better was eating it with smoked gouda and salame paninis on pretzel bread. Yum yum! I could eat soup, sandwiches, and salad any day, all day and be happy.

You can always pulse it in batches in a blender if you don't have an immersion blender.......or if you don't have one, you could just get one because they're one of the most satisfying kitchen tools to use.

Fresh Corn Soup
adapted from bon appetit

2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 ears fresh corn, kernels sliced off and cobs broken in half
3 C whole milk, heated to scalding
2 C chicken stock, heated
2 bay leaves
generous pinch dried thyme
salt
freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh chives

Method:
In a dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter and saute onion until soft, add corn kernels and garlic and saute 8-10 minutes more.  Add bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to distribute throughout.  Add cobs, warm milk and stock (I just microwave mine), then increase heat and bring to a boil.

Once soup boils, reduce heat to low, cover partially with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and cobs, then pulverize! Either in the pot or with a blender, working in batches.  Be sure to let the soup cool a bit first so it won't burn you, and if using a blender, remove the vent cap and cover the lid with a towel so it can "breathe" and not steam and splash up.

If you so choose, strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing the solids to get as much flavor and moisture out of them as possible.  You can skip this step if you don't mind a little texture to your soup. Sprinkle with chives and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

Enjoy!