This corn chowder recipe is a delicious way to showcase sweet end-of-summer fresh corn. It's also a perfect, not-too-heavy soup to enjoy as the evenings start to cool off. Trim away the corn kernels with a sharp knife, propping the cob on end in a large shallow bowl to catch the kernels. Simmering a whole, pierced chile in the broth infuses the chowder with subtle heat that doesn’t overpower the sweet corn. This recipe serves six as an appetizer or four as an entree. It's ideal for summer entertaining. Make the chowder up to three days ahead and chill, and then warm it over gentle heat, while your saute the shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or DIY Ghee)
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
- 3-1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 hot chile pepper (serrano, Thai bird or habanero, etc.)
- 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add onion, and saute 2 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and saute 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in flour. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits. Add stock, stirring with a whisk until smoother, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Pierce chile pepper several times with a sharp knife, and add to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- While soup simmers, toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan, and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- When potatoes are tender, add corn to pan. Stir in half-and-half. Season chowder to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook over medium heat, until warm. Discard chile pepper. Ladle corn chowder into soup bowls. Top evenly with shrimp. Garnish with parsley.
Servings: 4
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