The Minimalists Corn Chowder Recipes

SIMPLE SUMMER CORN SOUP

Steps:

• To a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
• Add potato, season with a little salt and pepper, and cover to steam for 4-5 minutes.
• Add most of the corn, reserving a little for garnish, and stir.
• NOTE: If you plan to blend the soup, I recommend (as suggested above) adding half broth, half milk for a creamier texture. But if you intend to leave it unblended, forgo the milk and do all vegetable broth (4 cups | 960 ml) for best texture/flavor.
• Add broth and almond milk (if using), cover, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook until the potatoes are soft and slide off of a knife when pierced - about 5-10 minutes.
• If blending, add 3/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. If using nutritional yeast, add now.
• Transfer soup back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Cook for at least 10 minutes to let thicken. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be.
• To serve, top with chopped green onion, remaining fresh (or lightly sauteed) corn, and black pepper. Add a sprinkle of paprika for color.

THE MINIMALIST'S CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Shuck the corn and use a paring knife to strip the kernels into a bowl. Put the cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, put the butter or oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes; add the tomatoes if you're using them and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
• 3. After the corn cobs have cooked for at least 10 minutes, strain the liquid into the onion-potato mixture. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the mixture simmers. When the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, add the corn kernels and milk and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
• Keys To Success
• STRIP THE KERNELS from the cob with a sharp knife, and make sure to catch any liquid that seeps out during the process.
• TO MINIMIZE COOKING TIME, chop the potatoes into 1/4-inch pieces. Leave them larger if you're not in a hurry.
• AS LONG AS your corn is young and tender, the kind you can just about eat raw, the kernels should be held out of the mix until the chowder is just about ready, so they don't overcook. But the new supersweet hybrids, which retain much of their flavor in the refrigerator for a few days, are not as tender, and their kernels should be cooked for a few minutes at least. Just keep tasting and stop cooking when the texture seems right.

CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).
• Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

CORN, SAUSAGE, AND BEAN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir until beginning to brown. Add carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute more. Add 4 cups chicken broth and 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat to a simmer; add black beans, kidney beans, great Northern beans, and bell pepper. Continue to simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring remaining 4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add potatoes and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• At the same time, heat remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add corn, onion, harissa, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Saute until they have a few brown spots and a nice flavor, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place potatoes with chicken broth and corn mixture carefully into an electric blender and blend until smooth, or desired consistency (or leave some out to be left whole). Stir mixture into the soup pot to combine. Turn off heat and add balsamic vinegar. Stir again to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.

CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Wilt bacon in a large soup pot over low heat until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and allow to melt.
• Add the onionsw and wilt over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, another 5 minutes.
• Add the stock and potatoes. Continue cooking over medium-low heat. Until the potatoes are just tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add the half and half, corn, pepper, and salt. Cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bell pepper and scallions, adjust the seasonings, and cook an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro.

BASIC CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.
• Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
• After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.