Green corn soup

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 30 minutes plus 2 hours refrigeration; Serves: 8 to 10

Corn, shucked	8 ears
Oil, extra-virgin olive	3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
Shallots, chopped	1 medium
Garlic, 3 thinly sliced, 2 crushed	3 cloves + 2 cloves
Salt	½ teaspoon + 1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon
Water	1 ½ cup + 1 cup
Baby spinach, ¼ cup chopped	1 cup packed + ¼ cup
Jalapeños, stemmed, seeded; 2 rough chopped, 2 thinly sliced	4
Lime juice, fresh	1 tablespoon
Pumpkin seeds; toasted, lightly salted	½ cup
Feta, crumbled	¼ cup
Parsley, chopped	¼ cup
Vinegar, white	1 cup
Sugar, granulated	2 tablespoons

1. Using a thin knife and work in a bowl, cut the kernels from the cobs; you should have 6 cups. 
2. Working over another bowl, scrape the cobs with eh back of the knife to release the corn milk; discard the cobs. 
3. In a large skillet, heat 3-tablespoons oil over moderately high heat. 
4. Add the onion and sliced garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. 
5. Add 4 ½-cups corn kernels and the corn milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender crisp, about 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 
6. Transfer to a blender, and let cool slightly. 
7. Wipe out the skillet. 
8. Add 1 ½-cups water to the blender with the corn, and puree at high speed until very smooth, about 5 minutes. 
9. Strain the puree through a fine sieve set over a large bowl, pressing on the solids. 
10. Return the corn puree to the blender, and add the spinach, chopped jalapeños, and 1-tablespoon juice, and puree until the spinach is finely chopped and the soup is green. 
11. Cover and refrigerate the soup until cold, at least 2 hours. 
12. Meanwhile, in the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 ½-cups corn kernels, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 1 minute. 
13. Transfer the corn to a small bowl, and refrigerate until cold. 
14. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, 1-cup water, crushed garlic, and sugar; bring to a boil.
15. Place the sliced jalapeños in a mason jar, and pour the pickling mixture to cover; let sit 8 minutes, then seal with a clean lid.
16. In a small bowl, combine the crispy corn, parsley, spinach, ¼-cup chopped pickled jalapeños, pumpkin seeds, and feta.
17. Transfer the soup to bowls, and garnish with the hardy pinch of the corn mixture. 

Recipe modified heavily from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2017.