Smoky Corn Chowder With Coconut Milk Food

SMOKY CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add the bacon and brown to crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the bacon bits. To the bacon drippings, add the garlic, onions and chiles, and cook to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn and season with the thyme, paprika and salt and pepper, and stir. Add the cobs to the pot along with the bay leaves, potato and cover with the stock. Add a little water to the stock if it does not cover the corn. Cook the soup, partially covered, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the cobs and bay leaves and puree with an immersion blender until the corn is creamed. Stir in the butter and lime juice and add hot sauce, to taste. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium flame.
• Serve the corn chowder topped with bacon, scallions, herbs and cheese.

SPICY CORN AND COCONUT SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry, like wrung-out sponges. Set aside. (If using frozen kernels, skip this step.)
• In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chile, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and juices to the pot, and sauté until the corn is softer and brighter, about 3 minutes more.
• Add potato pieces, and stir to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Now, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
• Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it's creamy with some kernels of corn, chunks of potato, and chile flecks remaining. (Alternatively, ladle about half of the soup into a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.) Season with lime juice and salt, and mix to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toppings of your choice.

SMOKY CORN CHOWDER (VEGAN)

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. When the pot is hot, start sauteing the onion for 2 mins., then add the minced garlic to the mixture. Sauté for another 2 minutes or until the onions become more clear.
• Add the mushrooms to the pot and sauté until they start to reduce in size and become soft. Stir in the whole kernels of corn as well as the pureéd corn mixture, veggie broth and non-dairy milk.
• Shake the nutritional yeast over the top, to dissolve it quickly. Then, add the liquid aminos, paprika, and onion powder to the soup. Bring to a boil, and adjust heat so that it becomes a simmer.
• Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir the spinach and basil into the mixture about 5 minutes before you are going to serve the soup, and add salt and pepper to taste.

SMOKY CORN CHOWDER WITH COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the onions, poblano chiles and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the corn, potatoes and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the chowder to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer one-third of the soup to a blender (see Cook's Note). Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.
• Pour the soup back into the pot and stir to combine. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with hot sauce if desired.