Fresh Corn Soup

Ingredients:

8 cups corn kernels

6 cups water

1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Simmer corn with salt in the water, covered, 20 minutes, or until very tender.

Puree soup in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). As each batch is pureed, pour through a coarse sieve, pressing on solids, into a saucepan if serving hot or into a metal bowl if serving cold.

Reheat soup, stirring, or chill it by setting bowl of soup in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stirring. If soup is too thick, thin with water.

Serve sprinkled with chives.

Yield: 6 servings

Still Hungry:

This simple seasonal soup depends on a single farm-fresh ingredient: corn. Its essence is captured in this purist's puree.

Notes:

Cooks' note

Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, then chilled, covered.