Corn soup with greens

Ingredients:

• 8 ears of corn, shelled
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• Half a jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 3 fresh sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, and parsley
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Preparation:

1. Cut the kernels from 6 ears of corn, transfer them to a medium bowl, then, holding the cob over the bowl, run a large chef's knife through it to extract all the juices and pulp.
2. In a large, wide saucepan or medium Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar, garlic, shallot, jalapeño, 1 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the corn kernels and juices and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and 6 cups of water.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut the kernels from the remaining two ears of corn and set aside. Remove the thyme and bay leaf from the soup, then thoroughly blend the soup in several batches in a blender (or in a saucepan with an immersion blender) until smooth, being careful not to fill the blender more than halfway at a time.
5. Return the soup to the pot, add the reserved corn kernels, and cook over medium heat until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls, garnish with herbs, and drizzle with olive oil.