Summer Corn Soup

The corn we have been getting at the market is so deliciously sweet lately and it reminds me that it is still in fact summer despite the constant fog in SF!  This soup can be made with or without the bacon (but bacon does really make everything taste better).  If you skip the bacon just saute the veggies in olive oil instead of the bacon fat.

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 4 ears of fresh corn
• 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 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 2 green onions

Blanche the corn in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Cut the corn from the cobs and reserve the cobs. Cook the bacon pieces in a heavy-bottom sauce pan until brown and crispy.  Remove the bacon and set aside.  Add the corn, onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the bacon fat and then saute until soft.  Add the water, milk, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, corn cobs and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.  Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the ingredients.  Add the soup back to the sauce pot and a simmer.  This can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge (it tastes better with some time).

Garnish with chopped green onion.