The arrival of autumn signifies many changes, and cuisine is no exception. Some foods match certain seasons. Such is the case with the following recipe for “Corn Chowder with Chiles and Monterey Jack” from “The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups” (Lebhar-Friedman). Though it works year-round, this recipe is ideal for that first brisk autum afternoon.
Corn Chowder With Chiles And Monterey Jack
Serves 8
6 ears corn, shucked
1 cup heavy cream
2 slices bacon, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
3 yellow or white potatoes, peeled and diced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, juices reserved
1 4-ounce can green chiles, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup corn tortilla strips, toasted, optional
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Directions:
Cut the corn kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife, capturing as much juice as possible. Reserve 3/4 cup corn kernels. Puree the remaining corn, along with the heavy cream, in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
Cook the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the broth, potatoes and tomatoes, including their juices. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Skim any fat from the surface of the soup and discard.
Add the pureed corn and cream, reserved corn kernels and chiles and cheese. Warm the soup. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Serve in heated bowls, garnished with tortilla strips, if using.
Smoked Corn and Chile Chowder With Monterey Jack
Do not try this smoking process unless you have a well-ventilated kitchen. Turn the exhaust fan on high and monitor constantly.
Substitute 2 fresh poblano chiles for the canned green chiles. Core and remove the seeds from the poblanos and red bell pepper. Cut into large flat pieces, approximately 4-inch squares.
To smoke the corn and peppers, place fine wood chips in a disposable aluminum roasting pan fitted with a wire rack (if your rack does not have feet, use balls of aluminum foil to raise the rack a few inches above the wood chips). Use only wood chips that are specifically meant for smoking food. Have ready a fitted cover or aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan. Heat the roasting pan over high heat until the wood chips begin to smolder and smoke.
Place the corn and pepper sections on the wire rack over the smoking chips. If the chips are smoldering and creating sufficient smoke, remove the pan from the heat. Otherwise, reduce the heat to low. The idea is to keep the chips smoldering, but to keep them from catching fire. Cover tightly with the lid or aluminum foil and allow the vegetables to smoke for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the vegetables to cool. Dice the sections of red pepper and poblano chile.
Proceed with the master recipe, adding the poblanos along with the red pepper.
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