Potato-Corn Chowder

Chowder is such a delightfully luxurious meal. Rich and creamy, what’s not to love about this hearty, satisfying soup? Unfortunately, chowder is usually made with tons of butter and heavy cream, making this a rare indulgence - until now.

Thursday’s Terra Treats brings you a recipe for potato-corn chowder that’s thickened with a simple corn purée instead of heavy cream. Smoked chipotle peppers provide extra body and depth of flavor, and you won’t even notice that there’s no meat or fish. If you don’t want a spicy soup, only use one pepper and be sure to mince it as finely as you can, but if you’re not afraid of a little heat, add the second pepper!

Try this soup with parmesan pumpernickel toasts on the side, and get ready for seconds!

Serves 4

Potato-Corn Chowder

Directions:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 carrots
3 stalks celery hearts
1 medium onion
½ tsp kosher salt, plus extra kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp chili powder
2 cups chicken broth
16 oz sweet white corn kernel, frozen
2 medium potatoes
½ green bell pepper
1-2 smoked chipotle peppers, finely minced
½ cup light cream

1. Chop carrots into bite-sized pieces, and finely dice celery and onion into thin slices. In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; sauté for 1 minute, stirring as needed. Add kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder; stir well. Continue to sauté until carrots and celery are tender.
2. In a blender, purée 1 cup corn and 1 cup broth. For extra thickness, slowly add ½-1 extra cup of corn to the purée. Add purée to pot, along with 1 cup broth and remaining whole corn kernels.
3. Wash potatoes well, and cube into bite-sized pieces, leaving the skin on for a rustic, earthy texture. Chop bell pepper into bite-sized pieces, and add potatoes and bell pepper to pot. Mince 1 smoked chipotle pepper, and add to the pot (for a little more heat, add the second chipotle pepper). Add light cream and stir well, adding extra salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Bring pot to a boil; cover the pot and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes, and serve warm.