Corn and Poblano Chowder
You know the old adage “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap”? That’s what we are going for here. Not a high price point, but instead a wow soup with elevated toppings, served in a humorous, base way.
Corn chowder isn’t your thing? Try other soups that come in a can - tomato, beef and barley, cream of mushroom, minestrone even! Let me know by email or on instagram what you are cooking and we can work together to come up with some kooky garnishes.
Note - this isn’t actually a chowder, despite the fact that it tastes like it - there’s no cream! Add some cream if you’re wedded to the authentic, but if you trust me and make it as listed I promise you won’t miss it.
corn and poblano chowder
Corn and Poblano Chowder
Serves 6-8 cans, depending on size
8 ears of yellow corn (6 cups of kernels)
4 cups of vegetable stock, plus 2 cups of water
8 TB butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 poblano peppers, depending on side
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Remove the husks and those little pesky strings. Stand the cob on end and using a sharp knife, cut the corn off the cobs. It kind of goes everywhere sorry. Reserve the cobs.
Place the cobs in a heavy bottomed soup pot and fill with the vegetable stock and water, making sure they are submerged in water (or floating!) Bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer uncovered for 15 mins, then cover and simmer for a further 15 mins. Remove the cobs. You can strain the liquid at this point if you want but I don't. Set the soup pot of corny broth aside.
While that is cooking roast your poblanos. Either place them directly over the gas flame of your stove or on a foil lined cookie sheet under the broiler. Whichever way you choose, turn them frequently until they are deeply and evenly charred on all sides. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cover tightly with saran wrap.
Melt 3 TB of butter over medium heat in a skillet deep enough to hold all of the corn. Add the onion first and sauté for about 5 mins, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the corn and the cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 mins, until corn is tender and a more brilliant shade of yellow. Dump your corn-onion-garlic mixture into your stock pot.
Now the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove from bowl and peel off charred skin. Give them a quick wash and pat dry. Cut them in half, remove seeds and veins, and dice. Add them to the soup pot.
Add remaining 5 TB of butter to your soup and simmer for 15 more mins. Here is where you would add some cream if you feel like you really need it. Season again with salt and pepper.
Working in batches if necessary, purée the soup in a blender. If you have an immersion blender even better! Blend it way, way, past where you think it needs to be. You’re looking for a silky texture and don’t want any corny grit in there. Once you have reached desired texture, heat through and serve.
If serving in cans see the notes.
Coupla Notes:
· Suggested toppings: bacon, Texas toast croutons, lump crab, a dollop of pepper jelly, popcorn.
o Tip: cook your bacon in a cast iron skillet, then cut up a couple of pieces of brioche bread into squares, fry them in the bacon grease and find the Texan in you.
o If you don't like these toppings, set aside about a half cup of corn kernels at the beginning. Roast them in a dry cast iron until charred. You could also garnish with cilantro.
· If you would like to serve them in cans you need to get BPA free cans (of course), but do not get the cans with the pull top. The pull top cans leave a very sharp and scary lip just inside the rim. Get old fashioned cans that you use a can opener to open. Sand off any burrs (there shouldn't be much to sand) with a knife sharpener. Soak off the labels with soapy warm water.
· You need to get yellow corn for this recipe, rather than white. White will still taste great, mixed with the green poblanos it will make for a rather unappetizing, grim colored soup.
o If your soup does start to look a little funny, in a pinch you can add a can of drained yellow sweet corn to the mix.