- 5 ears corn (7 to 8 in.)
- 1/4 pound sliced pancetta or sliced bacon, diced
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups diced red thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
- 2 sprigs oregano (about 3 in.), rinsed
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- Salt and fresh ground pepper
- Husk corn, discard husks and silks, and rinse ears. With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cobs into a bowl.
- In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir pancetta until lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to towels to drain.
- Add onions to pan; stir frequently until they're just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn, potatoes, peppers, broth, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes mash easily when pressed, about 15 minutes. Discard oregano sprigs.
- In a blender, whirl about 1/3 of the soup mixture (use a towel to hold down blender lid) until smooth. Pour puree back into pan with remaining soup. Add cream and stir until soup is hot, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls; top equally with cooked pancetta.