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This is perfect for late summer and early fall, when corn and peppers are in the market together. It's a very creamy and rich soup, even though there is no cream. (Of course, if you want to add some...)
4 ears corn
Shuck the corn, then cut the kernels off the cob, put the kernels into a bowl, then use the blunt end of your knife to "milk" the cobs. (If you've never done that before, see the notes below.) Break the cobs in half and put them in a pot large enough to hold them comfortably. Cover the cobs with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to make a simple corn stock.
3 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
medium red bell pepper
10-12 leaves of basil
While the stock is simmering, prep the rest of the vegetables. Dice the onion & bell peppers into 1/4" pieces - about the same size as corn kernels. Mince the garlic finely. Wash and dry the basil leaves.
Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook until the onions and peppers are soft but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes, then add the reserved corn kernels. Pour in enough of your corn stock to just cover the vegetables - you don't want to add too much, or your soup will be too thin. Season lightly with salt, then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you prep the basil.
Stack the basil leaves on top of one another, then roll lengthwise into a "cigar." Using a very sharp knife, slice the basil roll as thinly as you can. This method of cutting into long, thin slices is called "chiffonade."
When the soup has cooled, blend about 2/3 of it in a blender until very smooth. I like to leave 1/3 unblended to give the soup some texture. Reheat, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top each serving with some of the basil. Serves about four.
TO CUT CORN KERNELS: Hold the thick end of the corn and balance the thin end on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut from top to bottom. This will take a little bit of practice - you want to remove as much of the kernel as possible, without cutting into the cob. The bigger working space you have, the better, because the kernels tend to scatter. If you have a very large mixing bowl, you can stand the corn in the bottom instead of on a cutting board, and the bowl will catch all the strays. To "milk" the cobs, hold the cob over a bowl, then use the blunt side of your knife to scrape along the cob from one end to the other - any leftover bits of corn & corn juice will come out.
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