Sweet Corn Chowder

I am so sad to see the sweet corn season end.  I was able to find 6 ears at my local grocery store and I scooped them up.  Then I stopped at a couple of farm stands and stocked up on veggies to make this soup.  I'm sure you can make it all year long with a few cans of sweet corn, but try to get sweet corn on the cob when you can.  Cream and milk do not freeze well so I make this chowder creamy by blending a potato in with chicken stock.  If you prefer you can substitute vegetable stock and this is a hearty meat free soup.  We ate ours with garlic bread and some very tasty bacon bits on top.  Awesome!  Sweet, savory and salty. 

Ingredients:

1 medium onion                     .30
2 carrots                                  .25
2 zucchini                                 .66
1 red bell pepper (or green)  1.00
1 Lg russet potato                   .69
1 quart chicken broth             2.99
6 ears sweet corn                   1.80
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp all purpose seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel and cut the russet potato into 1" cubes.  Drop the potato into the bottom of a large soup pot.  This recipe makes 3 quarts of soup so make sure the pot is big enough.

Pour in the entire quart of chicken broth and heat to boiling.  Reduce to simmer and let cook until fork tender. 

In another large heat one tablespoon olive oil.  Peel and chop the onion and carrot and add to the pan.  Saute for 3-5 minutes or until just starting to get tender. 

Then peel and chop the zucchini and add to the pan along with the chopped red bell pepper. 

While that cooks shuck the corn and cut the kernels off the cob.  Add to the pan and stir well.  Let these veggies warm through while you tend to the broth and potato.

Remove the broth and potato from the heat once the potato is nice and soft.  Pour into a blender and allow the broth to cool. 

Once the liquid is less steamy carefully place the top on the blender and mix on a low setting.  If you blend it on high the heat will build up and the hot liquid will spurt everywhere around the lid and you will be soaked in hot steamy starchy potato broth.  I may have done that once or twice.  Once the potato is completely blended it will look like this.

This will be the thickener that will add a little backbone to your soup without adding milk or cream.  It has a velvety quality that will make your soup into a chowder.  Now all that is left is to combine all the veggies and all the potato broth into the big soup pot and bring to a boil.  Add all purpose seasoning, salt and pepper to taste and let cool.

Divide into three quart containers and freeze.

Thaw in the fridge for two days before cooking.  Then warm on the stove before serving.  Add a slice of garlic bread and this meal is heavenly.  You can add any fun toppings out of your fridge.  We tried bacon bits and Parmesan.  It would also be great with fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream. 

I was able to make three quarts of soup for $2.53 each.  With garlic bread and bacon bits we spent $5.28 on our whole meal. 

I hope you give this one a try before all the sweet corn is gone!
Christie aka Keeza