Corn Potage (Japanese Corn Soup)

1. Gather all the ingredients. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).

To Prepare the Corn

1. Slice off the corn kernels from 4 ears sweet corn. 
2. Place the corn kernels on a rimmed baking sheet, saving the cobs for later.
3. Add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and ¼ tsp paprika.
4. Mix all together with your hands and spread it out evenly in a single layer. Roast the corn kernels in the middle rack position at 450ºF (230ºC) degrees for 15 minutes. Once it‘s done, remove it from the oven and set it aside.

To Prepare the Soup

1. Meanwhile, thinly slice ½ onion against the grain. Heat 1½ Tbsp unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until translucent.
3. Add the roasted kernels and 3 cups water.
4. Add the reserved cobs to the pot to naturally sweeten the soup. Push the cobs down to check if they are completely covered by the liquid; if not, add more water until submerged.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and lower the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. During this time, skim the foam on the surface for a more refined taste. After 15 minutes, discard the cobs.
6. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy and smooth. If you use a food processor or blender, let the soup cool for a few minutes before blending to avoid major splashes and cover the opening with a towel.
7. If you want to make your soup similar to corn potage (Japanese corn soup), strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother consistency.
8. Transfer the soup back to the pot. Add 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream and 1 cup milk. The ratio is entirely up to you. Here, I used equal parts milk and heavy cream, 1 cup each. Bring back to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or more, stirring frequently. Once the water evaporates, it’ll be more flavorful.
9. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Make sure to taste the soup when you season. Finely chop 1 sprig parsley. Serve the soup hot or chilled. You can drizzle 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or 1 Tbsp heavy (whipping) cream among the bowls and sprinkle the parsley to garnish.

To Store

1. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (or in the pot) and store in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 2–3 weeks.