CORN, CORN, CORN! It’s all but overflowing in every produce aisle this time of year. And while corn on the cob is a classic staple at summer barbecues, there’s so much more to do with it. When corn season hits, we start using it left and right— eating it raw, grilled, roasted, boiled; throwing it in pastas, salads and yes, absolutely, summer soups. Corn, in all of its sunny sweetness, is front and center in our Summer Corn Soup with Jalapeño. It’s so simple and so delicious.

The days are already getting shorter, but making this soup early in the day—or even the day before—will allow you to spend the last fleeting hours of daylight outdoors instead of in the kitchen. We also love this soup because it’s a great way to get the awesome one-two punch of tumeric and black pepper into your diet. (Do some research on this if you are interested as to why.) We serve it cold in the summer but it’s just as wonderful hot when the weather turns chilly.  It’s always a treat to find it waiting for you in the fridge after a day’s work and is just as perfect packed for next day’s lunch.

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Summer Corn Soup with Jalapeño
Serves 4-6

Notes…
It’s probably a good idea to use rubber gloves when chopping the jalapeño. It depends on the pepper, but you can be in for a real surprise when you go to take out your contacts out or touch your face, even if it’s been a while and you think you’ve washed your hands really well. And if the pepper is hot enough, your hands will just plain feel like they’re on fire. For hours. Or even days. (Just ask Lee who thought it was a lame idea and then regretted her lack of gloves for literally two days. Lou says: “Well… Your mother is always right.” Oy.) Also, since the seeds and the ribs pack much of the heat, you can adjust the level of spiciness: Keep them in if you like spice, discard them if you don’t. The soup will be puréed, so the onion and potatoes just need to be rough chopped into bite size chunks for quick cooking.

You’ll need:
An immersion blender, food processor, or blender

Ingredients:
1 tbs safflower, corn, or light olive oil
1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
6 ears of corn, silk removed and leaves shucked (reserve 3 of the cobs and set aside about 1/3 of a cup of kernels for garnish)
2 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño, cut in half, seeds removed if you prefer (chop half for cooking and reserve the other half for garnish)
6 cups of filtered or spring water
1 tsp tumeric
Salt and pepper to taste
2 limes

Garnish: Lime slices, sour cream, jalapeño

* Heat a 10-12″ saute pan over medium heat.

* Add the oil.

* When hot, add the onion, jalapeño, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is translucent but do not brown.

* Add the corn, potato, tumeric, and black pepper to taste. Cook a few minutes so the flavors are blended.

* Transfer everything to a large sauce pan and add 6 cups of water and the corn cobs. Break cobs in half if you need.

* Cook until the potatoes are done. You can check by inserting a knife into a piece or two. The knife should glide in easily.

* Remove from heat and let cool.

* Remove the cobs and toss out.

* Purée the soup in your blender or food processor, a few cups at a time, or just use your immersion blender and purée away. Pour in a storage container or bowl and store, covered in the refrigerator until cold.

* Just before serving, give the soup a squeeze of lime juice from one whole lime to brighten the flavor.

* Ladle the cold soup into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, reserved corn, jalapeño, and lime slices.