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Corn Chowder

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time About 1 hour

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 6 ears fresh corn
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or 1/4 cup good-quality vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups half-and-half or milk
  • My Kind of Croutons, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Shuck the corn. Stand each ear up in a bowl and use a knife to cut off the kernels. Put the corncobs and 2 cups water in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the water bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water is cloudy, about 30 minutes. Leave the cobs in the pot until you are ready to make the soup, then discard them and save the broth.
  2. Put the butter or oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the butter foams or the oil is hot, add the scallion and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon, until the mixture starts to turn golden and the flour smells toasted, just a couple of minutes. Add the milk and the reserved corncob broth and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir or whisk constantly until the roux is dissolved and the soup starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the corn kernels and any accumulated juices and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the soup bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the soup has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve right away, garnished with croutons if you like.

– How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Recipe variations

Roasted Corn Chowder
Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the shucked corn with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the corn, turning frequently, until the kernels start to brown, 15 to 25 minutes. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut off the kernels and proceed with the recipe.

Cheesy Corn Chowder
Prepare either the main recipes or the preceding variation through Step 2. In Step 3, along with the corn, add 1/2 cup grated cheese like Parmesan, sharp cheddar, or hard goat cheese.