The Best Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 6 ears corn, husks and silks removed
• 1 1/2 quarts low sodium canned or homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 to 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 cups half and half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sugar
• 3 green onions, finely sliced

Directions

1. Stand 1 corn cob on end in a large bowl, then slice the kernels away with a sharp knife. Do the same with the rest of the corn, keeping the kernels and bare cobs separate. Run the dull side of the knife down the cobs over a medium saucepan to get any corn milk left behind. Snap the cobs in half and put them in the saucepan, then add the chicken or vegetable stock, bay leaf, fennel seed, coriander seed, and whole black peppercorns. Stir everything together, bring it to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to just under a simmer and steep for 10 minutes. Pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer, then throw away the cobs and spices.
2. As the stock is steeping, melt the butter in another 3 quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, garlic, and corn kernels, and cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened and the corn is tender, about 7 minutes. If the butter starts to brown, turn the heat down. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
3. While stirring steadily, slowly pour in the infused corn stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the half and half until combined. At this point, the soup may look separated, with melted butter sitting on the surface.
4. Move 1/4 of the soup to a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour it back into the pot and whisk everything together. If you prefer, use a hand blender right in the pot and blend until the chowder is as smooth or chunky as you like. Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste, though very fresh corn may not need sugar. Serve right away with sliced scallions on top, or chill and serve cold. Once chilled, thin the chowder by whisking in water a tablespoon at a time until the texture is where you want it.