Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan Page A

something the French would have created had sweet corn been one of their native crops.
    The soup is not thick, but it is quite substantial, very corny, and softly and naturally sweet. It can stand on its own, but its flavor is so compatible with so many other ingredients that I like to put a spoonful of something surprising in the center of the bowls before I ladle in the soup. I've included instructions for a simple garnish of fresh corn kernels, scallions, bacon, and a touch of chile pepper, but for special occasions, I urge you to try crème fraìche and caviar and/or very thin slices of scallops or shrimp (see Bonne Idée).
FOR THE SOUP
3
ears corn (preferably yellow corn for its color), husked
3
cups whole milk
2
tablespoons unsalted butter
1
large onion, preferably Spanish, finely chopped
Fine sea salt
1
celery stalk, trimmed and thinly sliced
1
carrot, trimmed, peeled, and thinly sliced
1
garlic clove, split, germ removed, and finely chopped
2
cups water
2
thyme sprigs
2
rosemary sprigs
1
bay leaf
Freshly ground white pepper
 
 
FOR THE GARNISH (OPTIONAL BUT VERY GOOD)
Kernels from ½ ear of corn
1
scallion, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
½
small chile pepper, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced, or a pinch of piment d'Espelette (see Sources [>] ) or cayenne
2
strips bacon, cooked and finely chopped
 
 
¼
cup crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
    TO MAKE THE SOUP: You need to strip the corn kernels from the cobs—a messy job that's best done by standing each cob upright in a large bowl, grabbing a sturdy chef's knife, and cutting straight down the cob through the base of the kernels. Turn the cob and cut, and continue turning and cutting until all the kernels have been released; reserve the cob. Set the kernels aside and cut each cob into 3 pieces.
    Put the cobs in a saucepan, pour in the milk, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the milk steep while you work on the rest of the soup.
    Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onion and a pinch of sea salt and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion softens and glistens with butter—it shouldn't take on any color. Toss in the celery, carrot, garlic, and corn kernels, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
    Add the water, milk, and corncobs to the pot, along with the herbs and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook the soup at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
    MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE GARNISH, IF USING: Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
    Taste the soup and season with salt and white pepper as needed. Remove and discard the cobs, bay leaf, and whatever herb sprigs you can fish out easily from the soup. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor; or use an immersion blender. If you'd like the soup to be smoother, push it through a strainer, pressing down on the solids to squeeze out every last bit of flavor. Taste again for salt and pepper and, if the soup has cooled considerably, reheat it—this soup is at its best really hot.
    Serve immediately, with or without the garnish, topping each bowl with a dollop of crème fraîche, if you like.
     
    MAKES 4 SERVINGS
     
    SERVING
Divide the garnish among the soup bowls if you're using it, ladle the soup over the garnish, and top each bowl with a spoonful of crème fraîche, if desired.
     
    STORING
The soup can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or it can be packed airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.
     
    BONNE IDÉE
Because the soup is sweet, it takes well to salty additions, of which the simplest and most elegant is a spoonful of crème fraîche (or unsweetened whipped cream) and some caviar. Many of the less expensive roes, particularly Avruga, smoked herring roe (available in specialty stores), are wonderful here. If you