It’s time for a tribute. The Brentwood corn stand had its last weekend at the farmer’s market until next May. That might not seem very important, given that other stands are still selling corn here, but the Brentwood corn is special. The line is always long, and they always sell out. Some days they have yellow corn, some days white corn, and some days they have peaches and cream corn. You just never know. If they have more than one type on any given day, they’re more than willing to tell you what you should buy, after determining your need. The corn is sweet, crunchy, and fresh as can be. In our house, there won’t be any more corn on the cob this year, because if it’s not fresh Brentwood corn, what’s the point?
I did buy extra corn on that last day, and froze a bit of it. It’ll be a great reminder of what will surely come again next summer. Until then, I made this soup to honor the Brentwood corn guys – you’ll be missed this winter!
Cut the corn from the cobs first, a few hours before you wish to make the chowder. Then use the cobs to make the broth. The sweet rich corn flavor makes the extra step worthwhile.
Corn Chowder*
6 Cups Vegetable Broth (method follows)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Cup diced celery
1 Cup chopped onion
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
8 – 10 oz. small red potatoes, washed but not peeled, and then chopped
Fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 large ears of corn, reserve cobs for broth (or 3 cups of frozen corn, but the chowder won’t be as sweet)
½ Cup light cream or evaporated milk
1 Teaspoon salt, or more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the olive oil starts to shimmer, add the celery, onion, and garlic, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, approximately 7 minutes. (Turn the heat down a bit if the vegetables start to brown.) Reserve 1/4 cup corn kernels for garnish. Add the rest of the corn to the pot and cook another 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, vegetable broth, and salt to the pot and bring the chowder to a boil. Once the chowder boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the mixture cook 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely soft (and possibly falling apart).
Carefully purée the mixture in a blender in batches. Hot liquids expand, so do not fill your blender more than 1/2 full each time, and make sure you hold the lid securely on top!
Return the puréed chowder to the pot over low heat and add the cream or evaporated milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with raw corn kernels. (We served ours with a tiny dollop of créme fraîche, as well.) (I also got chewed out a bit for not making more of this soup. I think my family would have gladly eaten it for several meals in a row!)
Kitchen Notes
*True chowders usually have bacon in them. Over the years, I have learned we like our bacon as bacon. Or on BLTs. But not in anything. If you like bacon in things, you might chop some bacon and begin the chowder by cooking the bacon in the pot first. You could then leave in the fat and skip the olive oil. Or you could garnish the chowder with the cooked bacon. Or both.
I like to use red potatoes because the skin adds bits of color to the chowder. If you use another type of potato, you might wish to peel the potatoes.
I make my own broth because the flavor is always better than the canned or boxed kinds. If you purchase broth, be sure not to add salt until the end of the cooking process, and then only to taste.
It’s hard to screw this up. Use the best corn you can find, even if that means Trader Joes’ frozen corn. Make sure the potatoes are cooked until they are soft enough to blend easily. The rest is easy and forgiving!
Vegetable Broth
This is a method, not a recipe. I usually keep carrot, onion, and celery (and other vegetable) trimmings in the freezer so that I can make broth whenever I run out of homemade frozen broth. This time, however, I made the broth from the exact following ingredients. Use them as a guideline; there’s no need to go out and buy a zucchini just for this!
Throw some chopped celery (2 stalks), the reserved corn cobs, a couple of chopped carrots, a quartered onion, a bay leaf, 3 peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 small chopped zucchini in a large pot. Add water to cover, about 8 cups. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer 2 hours, then strain. (If you have a small amount leftover, freeze it to use another day.)
