Ingredients
- 8 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock or water. Â 2 quarts)
- 4 ears of corn (cooked, with the kernels and extra bits removed to separate bowls (SEE NOTE BELOW) and set aside. Save the cobs)
- 1 onion (peeled and minced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 4 red potatoes (medium-sized, diced into 1-inch pieces)
- ½ cup cream (or milk. OPTIONAL)
- ½ pound shrimp (or scallops or cubed tofu. OPTIONAL)
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a large, covered stock pot, add the corn cobs and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The longer you simmer the cobs, the more corn flavor will be infused in the soup. Remove and discard the cobs. You can do this up to two days ahead
- If you’re simmering the corn stock at this point, place a medium-sized skillet over a medium heat. When it’s heated, add the olive oil, and the onion and celery. Sautee for 5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Add the onion and celery to the cob-less stock. If you’ve prepared the stock in advance, do this step in a stock pot and proceed to the next step. That is, sauté the vegetables, then add the stock Â
- Add the potatoes, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked through Â
- Add the corn to the soup, and bring to a simmer
- If you are adding cream, do this now, and return to a simmer
- If you are adding shrimp, scallops, or cubed tofu, add it now, and simmer briefly, until cooked through (or, for tofu, until it’s warmed through)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve
Notes
NOTES:
- When you cut the corn off the cob, do this in two steps.
- With a sharp knife, stand the ear of corn on its widest end, and slice off the kernels
- After the kernels have been removed, scrape your knife over the cobs again, to remove the last bits of corn that will be small pieces and liquid. Set these, and the kernels, aside in a bowl.
- The corn stock can be prepared days or weeks ahead of time. If you do it more than two days before you make the soup, then you can freeze the stock.
- Â
- To make this soup more of a meal, add 2 bone-in chicken breasts, or 6-8 bone-in chicken thighs, with the skin removed, to the stock when simmering the corn cobs. Remove the chicken when it’s cooked through, after approximately 20-30 minutes. After the chicken has cooled, dice or shred it, and add it to the soup after the potatoes are cooked
- Makes approximately 2 ½
Nutrition Facts
Corn Chowder
Serving Size
10 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
164
% Daily Value*
Fat
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Trans Fat
0.004
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
50
mg
17
%
Sodium
804
mg
35
%
Potassium
574
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
24
g
8
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
652
IU
13
%
Vitamin C
11
mg
13
%
Calcium
34
mg
3
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.