I don’t know about you, but Monday nights at our house are a loose extension of the weekend. Our energy levels are still in recovery mode; our stomachs are hungover from delicious dine-in and takeout, and we’re slowly (and begrudgingly) getting back into our work routines.
All of these feelings generally translate into making some sort of stew or soup for dinner because it’s quick to prep, easy to cook and leaves us satisfied but not stuffed. One of our favorites is corn chowder, and this particular recipe is so delightfully flavorful because everything is fresh and then topped with Sriracha, which, let’s face it, just makes anything better.
A quick tip on keeping that corn on the cob fresh: Place it (husk and all) in a wet paper lunch bag and then into a plastic bag. Tie the handles of the plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Creamy Corn Chowder
Adapted by Beth Style from a recipe originally published on No Face Plate.
4 to 6 servings
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. butter
½ red pepper
½ green pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 small carrots, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste, about 1 tsp.
1 small zucchini, chopped
4 small white potatoes, diced
Kernels from 6 ears of corn (about 4½ cups), boiled and drained
6 cups vegetable stock
1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Dash of agave
½ cup sour cream
½ cup cashew butter*
Topping:
1 large tomato, diced
½ bunch scallions, sliced
Sriracha to taste
• Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add both of the peppers and the onions, carrots and garlic, and season with salt. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent, then add in the zucchini, potatoes and corn. Cook the vegetables for 4 minutes, or until the zucchini has softened.
• Add the vegetable stock. If the veggies aren’t quite covered with liquid, add a little water until they are, then add the pepper and the agave. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.
• Ladle as much liquid from the pot that will fit in a blender (making sure to leave some room before it hits its maximum capacity) or a deep bowl, in which case you can use an immersion blender. Add the sour cream and cashew butter to the liquid and blend until smooth. Pour back into the Dutch oven.
• With a ladle, remove 75-percent of the vegetables from the Dutch oven to either a blender or the deep bowl in which you used the immersion blender. Blend until smooth; return contents to Dutch oven.
• Mix the blended liquid and vegetables together and season with salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with tomatoes, scallions and Sriracha.
*Available at The Golden Grocer
This article appears in January 2013.