Photo and text by KARA
DiCAMILLO/ecoRI.org News contributor
One of the things that
I love about autumn in Rhode Island is that our farmers markets are still full
of delicious vegetables. For example, just this past week, I received corn from
my CSA, but I know that it’s coming to an end quickly.
This is the time of
year where we will start seeing root vegetables such as turnips, potatoes and
beets, along with pumpkins, zucchini and eggplant.
With the cooler
temperatures this week, it’s apparent that fall is here. I decided to use my
corn and potatoes to make a tasty chowder. I scoured through recipes and found
that many corn chowders were laden with cream, cheese, butter and tons of other
ingredients. I decided to use milk instead and very little of the cheese and
butter. I have to say that they weren’t missed.
While this corn
chowder seems to have many ingredients, it’s actually quite easy, and the
leftovers are even more delicious. Serve it with your favorite crusty bread and
you’ve got the perfect fall meal.
Corn Chowder
Serves 6-8
Serves 6-8
Quarter cup of olive
oil
1 medium-sized onion, minced
One and a half cups of celery (about 2 ribs), minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Quarter cup of flour
32 ounces of chicken or vegetable stock
6 small red potatoes, peeled and diced
8 ears of corn, husked and kernels removed from cob
One and a half cups of milk
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, minced
4 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, plus some for sprinkling
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
4-8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
Chives for garnishing (optional)
1 medium-sized onion, minced
One and a half cups of celery (about 2 ribs), minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Quarter cup of flour
32 ounces of chicken or vegetable stock
6 small red potatoes, peeled and diced
8 ears of corn, husked and kernels removed from cob
One and a half cups of milk
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, minced
4 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, plus some for sprinkling
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
4-8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
Chives for garnishing (optional)
In a large stockpot,
heat the oil and add the onions and celery. Sauté until soft, about 6 minutes,
and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for another minute, until fragrant, and
add the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and then add the
stock, corn, potatoes, milk and thyme. Simmer over low heat, stirring
occasionally, until the corn and potatoes are tender.
Once the vegetables
are tender, with a stick blender, blend the soup slightly just to thicken it.
Make sure to not over puree it, as you still want texture. You can also
transfer 2 cups of the soup to a standard blender or food processor to puree it
if you don’t have a stick blender.
Finish the soup by stirring in the cheese,
butter, salt and pepper, and, if desired, garnish with bacon, another sprinkle
of cheddar cheese, and chives.