Fresh Summer Corn Bisque - Edible Santa Barbara and Wine Country

4 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 large white onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 quarts chicken stock, organic
1-2 small Melody potatoes, or other yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
8-10 ears sweet white corn, husk and silk discarded and kernels removed for use. (Set aside 3–4 of the cleaned cobs to use in the soup.)
Finely ground white pepper, to taste
Purple basil leaves, for garnish

Melt butter in soup pan to sauté the onion, carrot and celery. Add salt and cook until the vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
Turn heat to high and fill pot with the chicken stock. Once at a boil, lower heat to create a gentle boil. Add the cubed potato and 3 corn cobs you’ve set aside (kernels removed).
Once the potato is soft, about 5–10 minutes, add the raw corn kernels and cook about 3–5 minutes, or until soft. Remove a cup or two of stock and set aside.
Remove the soup from heat and let cool a few minutes and then begin blending the soup with your immersion blender. Next, working in small batches, place the chinois over a stockpot and begin ladling the blended soup through your strainer.
In between batches, gently remove the excess corn pulp or rinse the strainer. Once you have strained the soup you may add the f ine white pepper to taste and adjust the thickness of the bisque by pouring in small amounts of the stock you have set aside.
Serve right away or store in the refrigerator for several days and reheat when ready to serve. Garnish the bisque with a small handful of raw corn kernels, freshly ground black pepper and chopped purple basil.