Chilled Summer Corn Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Cut the corn: Hold an ear of corn upright with one end on the cutting board and the other in your non-cutting hand. Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels in rows from the cob. Rotate the corn and cut close enough to the core so that the kernels remain relatively whole, but not so closely that you end up taking fibrous pieces of the cob with you. Repeat with all of the corn. Gather the kernels in a bowl and reserve the cobs.
• Start the soup: Combine half the olive oil and all the scallions with a generous pinch salt and 1/4 cup water in a large saute pan and cook over medium-low heat until they are translucent and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Cook the corn: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same saute pan and add all the corn kernels. Season with salt, then stir in the brown sugar and a generous pinch black pepper. Cook over medium heat until the corn becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Finish: Bring the half-and-half and 1 cup water to a gentle simmer in a medium pot over medium heat and add the cobs. Simmer the cobs gently on low heat until they impart their corn flavor to the half-and-half, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard the cobs. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Add the cooked corn and scallions to the pot and simmer on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Puree half of the liquid and corn in the blender until smooth and pour back into the rest of the soup. Refrigerate until fully cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Serve: Whisk to blend so some of the remaining corn lands in each bowl as you serve the soup. Taste for seasoning. Ladle into the bowls.

Steps:

• For the soup: Whisk together the buttermilk, garlic, scallions and thyme leaves in a medium bowl and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Hold an ear of corn flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the kernels off the cob. Continue rotating the cob and slicing until all the kernels are cut off. Repeat with the remaining cobs. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 cups of kernels. (You can freeze the cobs for corn stock later).
• In a blender, combine the buttermilk mixture, corn kernels, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
• Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Check the seasoning, and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• For the garnish: In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with the scallions, parsley leaves and stems, thyme leaves, garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt.
• Divide the soup among 6 serving bowls. Top with the tomato mixture, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cut off tips of corn and stand in a wide shallow bowl. With a sharp knife, cut kernels off cobs. Place cobs in a large pot, along with milk and 6 cups water; bring to a boil over high. Reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 15 minutes. Discard cobs.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high. Add shallots and garlic; cook until soft and translucent, 2 minutes. Add corn kernels and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer corn to pot with milk mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until corn is soft, 15 minutes.
• In batches, fill blender halfway with soup and puree until smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids: Remove cap from lid and cover opening with a dish towel.) Pour liquid through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Season soup with salt and pepper and refrigerate until cool, 1 hour (or, covered, up to overnight). Divide chilled soup among bowls and top with bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro.

Steps:

• Slice kernels off corn cobs (you should have 3 to 3 1/2 cups kernels). Discard cobs and place kernels in a blender.
• Add buttermilk, basil, scallions, lime juice, garlic, salt and 1/3 cup ice cubes to the blender and purée until very smooth.
• Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing down hard on the solids. Serve soup garnished with radish slices and a drizzle of olive oil.