Soups garnished with the flavors of fresh herbs such as basil, dill, tarragon or chives.

Most importantly, soups that don't take all day to make, yet taste as though they did.

A simple, sweet corn soup is just the ticket for a quick late-summer meal. It has all the elements to satisfy, highlighting one of the best-tasting products of the season: fresh corn. You can make this dish any time of year if you don't mind substituting frozen corn for fresh.

Vegetarian cookbook author Deborah Madison's wonderful recipe is doubly nice because of easy variations that take it from simple to simply exquisite.

SWEET CORN SOUP

• 6 ears corn
• 1 tablespoon butter or corn oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated waxy potato, such as Yellow Finn
• 7 cups water, or homemade vegetable stock plus 1 cup water
• Salt
• Half-and-half or milk, optional
• Chopped parsley, basil, lovage, tarragon, chives or dill

Shuck the corn, remove the silk, then slice off the kernels. You should have about 4 cups. Use the flavor-filled cobs in the stock, if you're making one.

In a wide soup pot, melt the butter, then add the onion, potato and 1 cup of the water. Cover the pot and stew over medium heat until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the corn, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.

Cool briefly, then purée in a blender in two batches, allowing 3 minutes for each batch. Pass through a food mill or fine strainer, then return the soup to the stove and stir in a little half-and-half to thin it, if desired. Salt to taste and serve sprinkled with herbs. When reheating, stir frequently and don't boil, or the soup will curdle.

Makes six to eight servings.

• Per serving (with 1 tsp salt, no additional to taste): 110 calories, 3 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 400 milligrams sodium, 21 grams carbohydrates, 3.5 grams fiber, 1.5 gram sugar, 3.5 grams protein.

Variations:

• Corn Soup with Poblano Chilies and Tortilla Strips: Roast, peel and seed 1 poblano or other large green chili, then cut into thin strips. Place some in each bowl with a little crumbled feta or grated Muenster cheese and garnish with chopped cilantro and thin, crisp ribbons of corn tortillas.

• Corn Soup with Tomatoes and Basil: Peel, seed and dice into neat, small pieces 1 ripe red or yellow tomato. Slice several basil leaves into thin strips. Place small cubes of fresh mozzarella in each bowl, add soup and garnish with the tomato, a bit of the basil and freshly milled pepper.