Slice the corn kernels off the cobs: hold an ear on the flat end on a large cutting board and have a sharp knife ready. Slice down behind the kernels, from the tip to the bottom to remove the kernels from the cob.
Rotate the cob and continue slicing down until all the corn is off the cob. Repeat this process with the rest of the ears of corn.
Sauté:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a pot that's large enough to hold the stock in the next step. Add the corn kernels and diced shallot to the pot. Stir to coat everything with the oil.
Sauté everything for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften and look translucent.
Simmer:
Pour in the vegetable stock. Switch the heat to high and give everything a stir, then bring the soup to a boil.
Turn down the heat to keep the soup at a gentle simmer, for about 15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Blend:
Carefully pour the hot soup into a blender. Cover the blender but keep the top vented to let the steam escape. (If you have to remove the small cap to do this, cover the hole with a thick, clean kitchen towel.)
Blend the soup on high for several minutes, checking it periodically, until the soup is as smooth as possible. Keep in mind that there will still be a little texture to the soup.
Note: you can try using an immersion blender to blend this soup in the pot, but I had better success and smoother soup with a blender.
Chill:
Pour the soup into a heatproof bowl, add in the salt and stir it through. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to chill—for 4 hours or more.
Serve:
Take the soup from the fridge and stir in the half and half.
Ladle soup into serving bowls, and top them with chopped, fresh herbs. Serve the soup immediately and enjoy the refreshing flavor!
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Makes about 4 ½ cups.
Notes
Tips:
While I prefer to use fresh ears of sweet corn, if none are available you can also make this soup with frozen corn kernels.
A blender makes this soup thick and creamy, but there will still be some texture from the corn kernels.