01 April 2011

Chipotle Corn Chowder

Man, do I have a back log of recipes to share with you. Taking that month off from blogging really through my files and organization for a loop. This is another one made back way in December.

I'm still addicted to the smokey heat of Chipotles, so when I came across this recipe, I had to try it. The recipe calls for a dried Chipotle pepper, but I just used canned with adobo sauce since I always have a ton on hand. Start out by using one pepper, but if you are a fan of heat like we are, you might wanna throw in a second one. Just taste it first, cause it does sneak up on you.

Another tip, if you have an immersion blender, use it. Otherwise, don't do what I did and over fill my blender so when I pulsed it, a hot disaster of Chipotle Corn Chowder exploded all over me, the counters, the windows, and of course, the floor. Brilliant....

This was very good, and I'm sure I'll be making it again. It could be a meal in itself, but I happened to have some extra crab cakes, so I served them on top of spinach and red onion salad. If I had the fresh crab, I probably would have just threw chunks of the meat in the chowder just before serving.

Here's the recipe so you can give it a whirl!

Corn Chowder with Chipotle Pepper
by Kacey's Kitchen, very slightly adapted from Phoo-d, adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooking

  • 1 dried Chipotle pepper or 1 Chipotle in adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp Olive oil
  • 1/2 small Onion, diced
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen Corn kernels
  • 1/2 tsp Chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 2 cups Vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp chopped Cilantro, plus additional leaves for garnish
  • 1 Red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 Green bell pepper, seeded and diced

  1. (If you are using canned chipotle, skip this step). Boil a small amount of water in pot or kettle. Once the water is boiling, place the chipotle pepper in a small heat-proof bowl and pour the hot water over the top of the pepper. Let the pepper soak in the hot water until it is soft, while you prep the rest of the ingredients, about 5-10 minutes. Once the pepper is soft, discard the water, cut the pepper in half, carefully remove any seeds, and finely chop the pepper.
  2. Place a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, and add in the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onion, garlic, and chipotle pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft.
  3. Add the corn kernels, chili powder, and cumin to the soup pot. Stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes.
  4. Pour the vegetable stock into the pot, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the corn is tender.
  5. Add in the milk, and continue to simmer until the liquid is warmed through and well combined. Turn off the heat.
  6. Use a stick blender, or carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender and puree. (Be careful blending hot liquids in the blender, as steam can become trapped under the lid and lead to an explosion!)
  7. Once the soup has reached a consistency that is to your liking, stir in the salt and cilantro. Taste the soup to see if it needs additional salt or pepper.
  8. Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the diced bell peppers and additional cilantro if desired.

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