serves eight
6
large ears corn
2
slices bacon, diced
1/2
small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup
loosely packed basil leaves, rinsed
1/2 cup
olive oil
1 pinch
red chili flakes
Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels
from the cobs and set aside. (You should have about 6 cups of corn
kernels.) Put the corn cobs in a large saucepan and cover them with 2
quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and
simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium
heat for about 5 minutes, until it has rendered most of its fat and is
crispy. Add the onion, a large pinch of salt and pepper to taste and
cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the corn
kernels, stir through and cook for another minute.
Carefully strain the corn cob cooking
liquid through a fine mesh sieve and add 6 cups to the corn mixture,
reserving the rest. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat
and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes so that the flavors have a chance to
meld. (Do not overcook -- the kernels should still have a bit of a
bite.)
Meanwhile, to make the basil-chili oil,
blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for about 30 seconds, drain and
plunge into a bowl of ice water. (This is a bit of a pain, but if you
don't do it, your "basil-chili oil" will end up looking like gray
sludge.) Remove and dry thoroughly. Combine the basil leaves, olive oil,
a sprinkling of salt and the chili flakes in a blender and purée until
smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and set aside until ready to use
it will be better after an hour or two.
Starting with a clean blender and working
in small batches so you don't burn yourself, purée about 3/4 of the corn
soup until smooth. Combine with the remaining soup, taste and add more
salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer the soup to a large bowl and
refrigerate until icy cold (you may also eat it hot if you prefer).
Serve the soup in individual bowls with a generous drizzle of the basil
chili-oil.
bacon recipe courtesy of: Food52.com, New York, New York
