Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot (6 to 8 quart)
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Wide, shallow skillet (10 to 12 inch)
• •Sharp chef's knife
• •Wide, shallow serving bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the kernels

   Stand each ear of corn upright in a wide, shallow bowl. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice downward along the cob, letting the kernels fall into the bowl. Rotate and repeat until all kernels are removed. You should have about 4 cups of kernels. Reserve the naked cobs for the broth. Don't scrape too aggressively or you'll get fibrous material mixed in with your kernels.

   The bowl catches stray kernels and prevents them from scattering across your counter. This simple setup saves cleanup time.
2. 2

   Build the broth

   Break or cut each cob in half and place them in a large stockpot. Add the cold water, onion quarters, smashed garlic, peppercorns, and half of your basil bunch (stems and all). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. The liquid should barely bubble, with small wisps of steam rising from the surface. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Your kitchen will smell like a farmer's market.

3. 3

   Strain and season

   Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean pot or large heatproof bowl. Pour the broth through, pressing gently on the solids to extract every drop of flavor. Discard the cobs and aromatics. Return the strained broth to the pot and taste it. Add the kosher salt gradually, tasting as you go. The broth should taste like concentrated summer, sweet and savory in equal measure.

   If your broth tastes thin, return it to a simmer and reduce by one quarter. Concentration builds intensity.
4. 4

   Cook the kernels

   In a wide skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the reserved corn kernels and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes. The kernels should turn bright yellow and lose their raw starchiness. Some will pick up light golden spots. This is good. Remove from heat.

5. 5

   Prepare the fresh basil

   Pick the leaves from the remaining basil, discarding the stems. Stack several leaves, roll them into a tight cylinder, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. The French call this a chiffonade. You're releasing the aromatic oils right before serving, which is when they matter most.

6. 6

   Assemble the bowls

   Divide the halved cherry tomatoes among four wide, shallow bowls. Spoon the warm buttered corn kernels over the tomatoes. Bring your broth to a steaming simmer. Ladle the hot broth over each bowl, allowing it to gently warm the tomatoes without fully cooking them. They should still have structure when you bite into them.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Scatter the basil ribbons over each bowl. Drizzle with a thread of your best olive oil. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately while steam still rises from the surface. This is not a soup that waits politely.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out corn the morning you plan to cook. The sugars begin converting to starch the moment an ear is picked. Farmers market corn, still cool from the morning harvest, will give you noticeably sweeter results than supermarket ears that have traveled for days.
• •Cherry tomatoes vary wildly in sweetness and acidity. Taste one before you start. If they're particularly tart, consider adding a small pinch of sugar to the broth. If they're candy-sweet, a squeeze of lemon at the end will provide necessary balance.
• •Save this recipe for peak summer, July through early September in most regions. Corn and tomatoes harvested outside their season have traveled too far and waited too long. They'll disappoint you.
• •A light, crisp white wine works beautifully alongside this broth. I reach for Vermentino or an unoaked domestic Chardonnay. Something with acidity to match the tomatoes and enough body to stand up to the corn's sweetness.

Advance Preparation

• •The corn broth can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat gently before serving.
• •Kernels can be cut from the cobs up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before sautéing.
• •Do not cut the tomatoes or slice the basil until just before serving. Both deteriorate quickly once their cells are ruptured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 867g)