Cream Corn Soup

Cream Corn Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups fresh corn kernels
Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme
4 cups corn stock (recipe follows) (you can also use canned low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock, if you’d rather)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
Hot sauce, to taste

How to Make Corn Stock
cobs from which you cut the corn kernels, cut in half
1 large onion, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into four pieces
1 shallot, scrubbed and unpeeled, cut in half
6 white peppercorns
A few thyme stems
2 bay leaves
6 cups cold water, or enough to just cover the cobs and vegetables
Put all the ingredients in a stock pot.  Add the water.
Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for three to four hours.  Spoon off any scum that rises to the surface.
Strain through a fine strainer.  If necessary, reduce over medium-high heat until you have four cups.