Just Corn Soup � Finally, Less is More!

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy fresh, summer corn, and a great lesson in just how little help these sweet ears need. If you�re using perfect, peak season ears, a little butter, salt and pepper is really all you need. And no, water never counts.

In case you�re wondering why we blended half the corn at the beginning, even though we were going to blend it at the end anyway, I have a great reason for that. The first time I made this soup, it came out so perfectly delicious that I�m now afraid to change the steps.

I blended the corn, and started cooking; not knowing it would look so terrible and broken. It tasted amazing, but looked like a horrible mistake, so I ended up giving it a little blitz with the stick blender. That did the trick, and I had something that looked as gorgeous as it tasted.

Would it taste the same if you simmered the corn in the water, and then blended it all at the end? I�m not sure, but my instincts say no. By the way, if you don�t have a stick blender, you�ll have to carefully puree about half the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary), and then add it back in. I really hope you give this amazing corn soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 4 small portions:

3 cups packed fresh sweet white corn kernels (about 3-4 ears)

3 cups cold water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

generously season with salt

cayenne to taste