This soup is the quintessence of summer nostalgia made with simple ingredients that yield maximum flavor. Roasting the corn draws out its natural sweetness and making a corn stock with the cobs, rather than vegetable broth, is not only a great use of otherwise useless cobs and harbors a deep corn flavor that is sweet, and true. I made this soup for Paul Newman one summer in our friend Michel Nischan’s verdant back-yard garden kitchen and he said it was one of the best things he ever tasted. I hope you do too.

Yields: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

6 ears fresh corn, cut from the cob
1 medium-small sweet onion or yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2-3 tablespoons grape seed oil or mild tasting olive oil
pinch of sea salt
10 cups filtered water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
4 cups diced tomato
1 tablespoon arrowroot
3 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
fresh chopped oregano

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 400°F
Cut the ears of corn in half and cut kernels from the cob.
Place the kernels in a baking dish and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt, mixing to lightly coat.
Place the cobs on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and rub to lightly coat.
Place both in the oven.
Dice medium-small onion and toss with just a touch of oil.
After 10 minutes, remove the cobs. Sprinkle diced onion over the cobs and return to the oven for 7-10 more minutes.
Place the roasted cobs and onions in a large saucepan and cover with 10 cups filtered water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and uncover to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The liquid will reduce at least in half.
The kernels should stay in for another 8-15 minutes (for a total of 25-35 minutes) or until fragrant, soft and roasty-looking. The time will depend on the size of the kernel. Stir the corn once or twice during cooking for even roasting.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, peel and dice the large onion.
Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softening and becoming translucent (5-10 minutes).
Add diced tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until tomatoes are concentrated. Ladle in a spoon of stock if necessary if there is not enough liquid from the tomatoes left.
Add corn kernels and stir, cooking for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
The corn stock should be just about ready to add now. If it needs a little longer, spoon in a few ladles of broth into cooking soup and continue to cook the broth down a bit longer.
Remove the cobs form the broth with tongs and discard.
Pour the hot stock into the soup and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or so.
Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon arrowroot (make sure it does not have any lumps), and stir in vigorously. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 2- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Use an emersion blender to blend the soup partially smooth (it should still have quite a bit of texture with whole or partial corn kernels visible. Or, pout half of the soup into a blander or food processor and blend until fairly smooth and return to pot. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

SERVICE

Serve garnished with fresh chopped oregano.

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store in a sealed container or jar in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.