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Recipe Wed Sep 12 2007
Fresh Corn Chowder
Corn stacked up in farmers markets makes me think of the nice crunch that the crisp kernels give, as they break free of the cobs. But what do we do with all the corn? In India, I've seen husked corn roasted directly on glowing hot coals in carts on the street. The char impacts a nice chalky mouthfeel. Short of my own street cart and any charcoal whatsoever, I thought of the canned creamed corn I liked as a kid. Although, I think it would be brilliant to use the chalky coal-roasted corn in soup. I broke out the immersion blender to make a thin chowder. It's a good tool because it lets you blend in the cooking pot. You don't have to let the soup cool and then transfer it to a traditional blender. And you would want to wait for it to cool. The one time that I blended hot liquid in a regular blender, the lid blew off throwing scalding hot soup all about.
You could use a roux to thicken the soup - or reduce the amount of stock. If you want to skip the stock or bouillon cubes, try adding sautéed onions just before blending. Diced potatoes will work well, too. The soup is good hot or cold, although the salt content of the stock seems more obvious when chilled.
Fresh Corn Chowder Recipe
4 cobs of corn, husked and cleaned
4 cups of vegetable stock (or 2 bouillon cubes and 4 cups of water)
1 handful parsley, finely chopped
Salt (if stock is unsalted)
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring 4 cups of vegetable stock to a boil. If you're using bouillon cubes, bring 4 cups of water to boil and then whisk in the cubes until they dissolve. Cut along the sides of eat cob to release the kernels. Add corn to the stock and bring it back to a boil. Simmer until corn kernels are soft. Add parsley, turn off heat and blend with an immersion blender. Salt and pepper to taste.
Meghan / September 14, 2007 12:26 PM
Mmm...corn chowder. I made some corn chowder not too long ago, too. Except it wouldn't meet your vegan standards what with the cheese, the milk, and the chicken. Yours sounds absolutely delicious and simple. I will be trying this for certain.
Oh yeah, and a immersion blender is key. My favorite kitchen gadget, indeed.