Minnesota sweet corn shines in creamy coconut soup

I love summer cooking for its ease and laid-back vibe. Fresh ingredients appear in sunny profusion, week after delicious week. Right now it's corn, and I can't resist the season's bounty, stuffing one more ear into an already overflowing bag. Steamed and dripping with butter, grilled to caramelized perfection, corn and tomato salads, blueberry-corn pancakes and muffins — there's never too much corn.

As summer fades into hazy memory, it's corn soup. Mine is a lush and naturally sweet twist on my grandmother's classic that switches out the butter and heavy cream for coconut milk, a lighter and brighter alternative. The complex corn-forward flavor relies on a quick stock of naked corn cobs simmered in water. This time of year, the mature cobs have as much flavor as the kernels, so it makes sense to take full advantage of their taste. The entire process takes just about 20 minutes and the soup is as good warm as it is chilled for a satisfying, vegetable-forward meal. Of course, for best results, use our fresh local corn now in farmers markets, co-ops and roadside stands.

This technique for stripping the kernels from the cob is super simple: After shucking the corn, stand the ears up in a shallow bowl, then run a paring knife down the sides. Use the back of a butter knife to scrape the cobs so all the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry. Get the cobs simmering in water with seasonings and herbs, holding the kernels back until everything else has cooked. At this point, the work is pretty much done.

Serve this soup with coarse bread, a hunk of sharp cheese, a plate of sun-split tomatoes — an ode to August's fleeting gifts.

Serves 4.

Creamy yet light and refreshing, this corn soup makes a fine summer meal paired with coarse bread and a salad of tossed greens. From Beth Dooley.

• 5 to 6 ears corn (about 5 to 6 c. corn kernels)

• A few whole peppercorns

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 large sprig parsley

• 2 tbsp. coconut or vegetable oil

• 2 shallots, chopped

• 1 large jalapeño, seeded and diced

• 2 small potatoes, diced

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1 (15-oz.) can full-fat coconut milk

• 1 tbsp. lime juice, or more to taste

• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Stand the cobs upright in a bowl and cut the kernels off with a small knife. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl.

Put the cobs in a pot with the water, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes while you make the rest of the soup. Strain the stock into a large pot or bowl and discard the seasonings.

Heat the oil over medium in a large pot. Add the shallots, garlic, jalapeño and potatoes, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring until the shallots are just tender, about 5 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it's creamy with some kernels of corn and chunks of potato remaining. (You can also ladle half of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth and return to the pot).

Season to taste with the lime juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the cilantro.