Recipe
Grilled Corn Chowder
I love corn chowder. Actually, I love all kinds of chowder. But the idea of a chowder made with grilled corn and poblanos and red peppers blows my hair back. So, after buying 8 ears of corn from Costco and dreaming about it for a few nights, I decided to create this recipe. Yes, it is January, and corn is out of season in South Carolina. But it’s in season at Costco…and it was grown in Florida and that’s just south of the border.
This recipe is a mashup of Josè Andrès, Rick Bayless, and Patti Jinich…I love them all. They make me think about how to make delicious food.
Video
A fun video to show you how…
Ingredients
8 ears of corn, shucked, silk removed, grilled, cooled, and cut off the cob (about 3 ½ cups)
1 ½ T flour
2 T olive oil
3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup white onion, diced
2 sprigs cilantro
½ t red pepper flakes
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar, Jack, and/or cotija
1 red pepper diced (yes, you could grill this too)
1 cup half and half (or whole milk or heavy cream)
2 poblano peppers diced (you could grill these too if you like. If you do, remove the skin.)
Salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 T fresh lime juice
1 t smoked paprika
Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado and chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Step 1
Grill the corn, cool it, and cut it off the cob. Set aside. Prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and the red pepper flakes and sauté them for 3-4 minutes. Then add the peppers and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Finally, add the garlic and the smoked paprika and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat to low or turn it off.
Step 3
Remove ½ cup of the vegetables from the pot to a blender along with about a quarter of the corn and ½ cup of stock. Blend until smooth.
Step 4
Turn the heat back to medium under the vegetables, add the flour and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in the stock, then the blended veggies. Bring to a simmer, throw in a stem or two of cilantro, and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 5
Using tongs, pull out the cilantro and discard.
Step 6
Add the cheese and stir to melt. Then add the half and half, continuing to heat and stir (but don’t boil).
Step 7
Stir in the lime juice and taste, then add salt and pepper and cayenne to taste. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, and cilantro.
Grilled Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 8 ears of corn shucked, silk removed, grilled, cooled, and cut off the cob (about 3 ½ cups)
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 cup white onion diced
- ½ t red pepper flakes
- 2 poblano peppers diced (you could grill these too if you like. If you do, remove the skin)
- 1 red pepper diced (yes, you could grill this too)
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 t smoked paprika
- 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 ½ T flour
- 2 sprigs Cilantro
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar, Jack, and/or cotija
- 1 cup half and half or whole milk or heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 T fresh lime juice
- Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Grill the corn, cool it, and cut it off the cob. Set aside. Prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and the red pepper flakes and sauté them for 3-4 minutes. Then add the peppers and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Finally, add the garlic and the smoked paprika and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat to low or turn it off.
- Remove ½ cup of the vegetables from the pot to a blender along with about a quarter of the corn and ½ cup of stock. Blend until smooth.
- Turn the heat back to medium under the vegetables, add the flour and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in the stock, then the blended veggies. Bring to a simmer, throw in a stem or two of cilantro, and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Using tongs, pull out the cilantro and discard.
- Add the cheese and stir to melt. Then add the half and half, continuing to heat and stir (but don’t boil).
- Add the lime juice and taste, then add salt and pepper and cayenne to taste.