In a 4–5 quart heavy pot, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and sliced leek. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes — do not brown.

Add corn and aromatics

Add the fresh white corn kernels, minced garlic and thyme to the softened vegetables. Cook, stirring, 3–4 minutes until the corn is fragrant and begins to release juices.

Liquids & Thickening

Make roux

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the vegetable mixture and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the flour and remove the raw taste, coating the vegetables evenly.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine while stirring to deglaze the pot, scraping any bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes. Then add 3 cups low-sodium chicken or seafood stock, bring to a gentle simmer and let cook 10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken.

Blend for texture (optional)

For a silky bisque, use an immersion blender and purée about half of the soup directly in the pot until smooth but still retaining some corn texture (or transfer half in batches to a countertop blender and purée, then return). This step creates body while keeping some whole corn pieces.

Add dairy

Reduce heat to low and stir in 2 cups half-and-half and 1 cup heavy cream. Warm gently; do not boil after adding dairy to prevent curdling. Heat until just steaming, about 3–5 minutes.

Seafood & Finish

Season and finish

Stir in 1/4 cup drained tomato concassé (or diced tomatoes) and 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Keep soup at a gentle warm (not boiling) simmer.

Add crab

Gently fold in the 10 ounces of jumbo lump crabmeat, being careful not to break the lumps. Heat through for 2–3 minutes just until the crab is warmed. If using, whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter off heat for extra sheen and richness.

Serve

Ladle the bisque into warmed bowls, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives and an additional pinch of cracked black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread.