Summer Corn Chowder with Basil Oil

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven
• •Blender or food processor for basil oil
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Sharp chef's knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the basil oil

   Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready beside it. Drop the basil leaves into the boiling water for exactly ten seconds, then scoop them out and plunge them into the ice bath. This blanching sets the color, that vivid green that fades when basil meets heat for too long. Squeeze the basil dry in a clean towel, then blend with the olive oil and a pinch of sea salt until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. The oil will keep its brightness for several hours at room temperature.

   Do not refrigerate the oil if using within a few hours. Cold dulls the aroma. If you must make it a day ahead, bring it to room temperature before serving.
2. 2

   Cut the corn and make cob stock

   Stand each ear of corn upright in a wide bowl and slice downward to remove the kernels. Work close to the cob but do not scrape so hard that you get the tough bits. Once the kernels are free, turn your knife to the dull side and press it down the cob to extract the milky liquid. This corn milk is where sweetness lives. You should have about six cups of kernels. Put the stripped cobs in a pot with four cups of stock, bring to a simmer, and let them steep for twenty minutes while you prepare the base.

   A Bundt pan makes a good corn-cutting station. Stand the ear in the center hole and the kernels fall neatly into the ring.
3. 3

   Build the chowder base

   Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned, about eight minutes. The goal is sweetness, not color. Add the garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add potatoes and stock

   Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat with the butter. Remove the cobs from your simmering stock and pour the enriched liquid into the pot. The corn cobs have given everything they have. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about twelve minutes. They will continue cooking, so do not wait until they are soft.

5. 5

   Add the corn

   Stir in the corn kernels with all their milky liquid and the fresh thyme. Simmer for five minutes, no longer. Corn at this stage of ripeness needs almost nothing. Overcooking turns sweetness starchy. The kernels should still pop between your teeth.

6. 6

   Finish with milk

   Remove the pot from heat and stir in the whole milk. Taste and season with salt and pepper. The chowder should taste of corn first, then the gentle richness of the dairy. If the corn is right, you will need less salt than you think. Let it rest for five minutes off the heat. The flavors settle and marry.

   Adding the milk off heat prevents curdling and keeps the texture silky. If reheating leftovers, warm gently and never let it boil.
7. 7

   Serve with basil oil

   Ladle the chowder into warm bowls. Drizzle each serving with a generous spoonful of basil oil, letting it pool on the surface in vivid green swirls. The oil should hit the hot soup and release its perfume immediately. Serve at once. This is August in a bowl.

Chef Tips

• •Buy corn the day you plan to cook it. The sugars begin converting to starch the moment the ear leaves the stalk. Yesterday's corn is not today's corn.
• •If you cannot find good fresh corn, do not make this soup. Make something else. Frozen corn, even the best kind, cannot give you what this recipe asks for.
• •Save any extra basil oil for drizzling over sliced tomatoes, grilled bread, or a bowl of white beans. It keeps refrigerated for three days but tastes best fresh.
• •A loaf of crusty bread and a glass of cold white wine are all this chowder needs beside it.

Advance Preparation

• •The basil oil can be made several hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Do not refrigerate unless keeping overnight.
• •The chowder is best the day it is made. If you must make it ahead, stop before adding the milk. Refrigerate and reheat gently, adding the milk at the end.
• •Do not freeze this soup. The potatoes turn grainy and the corn loses its sweetness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)