When New Jersey corn is abundant at the farmers' markets, there’s nothing quite like it. This is such a quick and easy soup to help make the most of all that fresh, peak-season corn.

A little while back, I visited The Chef’s Garden in Ohio and got to walk the fields with Farmer Lee Jones. He broke a piece of corn right off the stalk for me to taste — raw, sweet, and crisp. He talked about how we tend to overcook corn in our kitchens. From that day on, I’ve seen corn in a different light. Even though we’re cooking it for this soup, we’re still being gentle. No need to cook the life out of it. Just a simple flavorful broth, then a quick blend, so the corn’s natural sweetness and freshness shine through.

Ingredients

• 6 ears fresh New Jersey sweet corn

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, smashed

• A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or basil for a twist)

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Black pepper

• About 4 cups of water (or enough to cover the cobs in the pot)

• A splash of heavy cream or a drizzle of good olive oil to finish (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep the corn:

   Shuck the corn and slice the kernels off the cobs. Set the kernels aside in a bowl. Save the cobs to build a quick corn stock.

2. Make the corn stock:

   Place the corn cobs in a pot with the thyme, smashed garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cover with about 4 cups water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and discard the cobs and herbs. Now you have a simple, lightly sweet corn stock.

3. Start the soup:

   In the same pot, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion over medium heat with a pinch of salt until it’s soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Build the soup:

   Pour in the corn stock and bring just to a simmer. Add in the reserved corn kernels and cook for only about 3 to 4 minutes, just enough to soften them slightly. Remember, we’re not overdoing it.

5. Blend:

   Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a blender) and blend until smooth. If you like, strain through a fine mesh sieve for an extra silky texture. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

6. Serve:

   Ladle into bowls and finish with a swirl of cream or a drizzle of your best olive oil.

Suggestions for garnishing

• A sprinkle of smoked paprika or Aleppo pepper

• A drizzle of herb oil made with basil or parsley

• A handful of microgreens, like pea shoots or micro basil

• A few raw corn kernels tossed with olive oil and salt to echo that first bite of fresh corn in the field