Sweet Corn Cheesy Chowder is a comforting dish for the fall transition.
Here in the Northeast, there has been a sudden shift in temperature. The 90° temperatures have left, and the 60° days have creeped in. This sudden change is hopefully short-lived, but it has left Jackie and me craving a bowl of warm, comforting soup. With summer vegetables still in abundance, it didn’t take me long to come up with the idea of this Sweet Corn Cheesy Chowder.
Fresh, local sweet corn is all around us, and our garden is full of brightly colored peppers. My weakness for potatoes is clearly documented throughout superman cooks. I wanted to combine all of these ingredients into a beautiful, hearty chowder. Any dish made with potatoes is good enough for me, but Jackie will agree that this chowder is a satisfying soup that she craved as well.
Sweet Corn Cheesy Chowder combines a few different flavors on the palette: sweet corn, savory bacon, and a touch of heat from the chili peppers. The creaminess of the cheese tames any unwanted burn from the chilies (I like a pepper with a little heat, but it is perfectly acceptable to switch it out with a milder pepper. I do recommend using colorful red or orange peppers to maintain the beauty of the finished dish).
Soup season will soon be upon us, and we think this Sweet Corn Cheesy Chowder is one to keep in mind when the cold sets in. Its hearty, robust flavor will not disappoint.
- 3 ears of yellow corn
- 3 C of potatoes, diced into ½ inch pieces
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tbsp chicken base
- 1 C roasted peppers (we used a combination of cubenelles and red chilies), diced
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ C flour
- 3 C milk
- 2 C water
- 2 C shredded velveeta cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ C chopped fresh cilantro
- In a large stock pot, start by adding chopped bacon and onions and cook until bacon is crispy (about 8 minutes).
- Add diced potatoes and chicken base and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add butter and allow to melt. Add chopped peppers and flour and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring.
- While this is cooking, place peeled ears of corn over a hot grill or directly on the burner of a gas stove, allowing some of the corn to char. Turn corn often to ensure even browning.
- remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Add milk and water to pot and allow to cook over medium heat. The soup will start to thicken (about 7-10 minutes). At this time, cut the corn from the cob and add to the soup.
- As the soup gets to the correct thickness, add both the cream cheese and Velveeta cheese and reduce heat to low and allow cheese to melt. Stir often.
- Add chopped cilantro just before serving.
- Garnish with a mix of corn and onion.
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