southwestern corn chowder

 

Yay for another soup that will please all of my kids.  Vegetarian and dairy-free!  I left out the yogurt/sour cream called for in the recipe and it's unnecessary. Sure, it'd be good but for my family it worked great.

southwestern corn chowder (slightly adapted from cookie + kate)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups frozen corn kernels (I used a 12 ounce bag so all the veggies were balanced)

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes (about 3 cups)

1 large red onion, chopped

1 poblano pepper, chopped (I used 1/4 cup roasted green chiles)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided, to taste

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced

4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used a plant based substitute)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

freshly ground black pepper to taste

suggested garnishes:  grated sharp Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onions, additional cilantro leaves, etc.

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the corn, potatoes, onion, poblano, bell pepper, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.  Stir to combine.  Cook until the onions are tender and translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Add the broth and water and stir to combine.  Drop in the bay leaf.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.  Simmer 20 minutes to 25 minutes.  It's not done until the potatoes are fully cooked through.

Remove the pot from the heat.  Using kitchen tongs remove the bay leaf.  Carefully transfer about 3 cups of the soup to a blender.  Blend until completely smooth.  Add the butter and continue to blend.

Pour the mixture back into the pot.  Add the cilantro, sour cream, and lime juice.  Stir to combine.  Season with the remaining salt and pepper, to taste.  Divide the chowder into bowls and top with garnishes of your choice.