Serves 4

A great way of using up the last of the season’s cobs. Choose ones still inside their husks, as the kernels stay sweet and tender for longer. Fresh kernels should ooze a milk-white liquid when cut.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp golden caster sugar
3 thyme sprigs, leaves chopped
6 sweetcorn cobs, husks removed
600ml full fat milk
750ml chicken stock
2-3 tbsp double cream, to taste

1 Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and some salt and pepper. Sweat for 6-8 minutes until soft. Stir in the sugar and thyme and increase the heat to high. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the onion turns lightly golden.

2 Cut the cobs in half, then put them in the pan, pour in the milk and top with enough of the chicken stock to cover. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the kernels are tender. Remove the cobs from the liquid and leave until cool enough to handle. Save the cooking liquid.

3 Stand the cobs upright on a chopping board, then slice off the kernels with a large sharp knife. Throw away the bare cobs. Reserve a large handful of the kernels for the end. Put the rest of the kernels back in the pan and pour in enough of the cooking liquid to come up just above the kernels, or about 600ml.

4 Blend everything together thoroughly with a hand-held liquidiser until really smooth. (Alternatively, blend the soup in a food processor.) Pass the soup through a sieve into a bowl, pushing through as much of the sweetcorn as possible. Return the soup to the pan and add the double cream to taste. Check for seasoning, then return the whole kernels to the soup and reheat before serving.

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