Corn Chowder with Jalapenos

By Hollister1121

Ingredients

• 7 ears corn, husked
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp. EVOO or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. baby yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, quartered
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery with leafy top, finely chopped
• 4 jalapeno chile peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 Fresno or other fairly mild red chiles, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
• Salt and Pepper
• Oyster crackers, pickled jalapeno slices, chopped scallions and hot sauce, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place a small bowl upside down inside a wide, shallow bowl. Working with one ear at a time, stand the corn on top of the small bowl and cut the kernels off the cob so they drop into the large bowl. Using dull side of the knife, scrape down the cob to release the corn milk. In a blender, puree half the corn with 2 cups stock.
2. In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high, then add the butter. When the butter foams, add the potatoes and the next 7 ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover and cook until the vegetables soften, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the kernels, corn puree and the remaining 4 cups stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the chowder in bowls and top with the garnishes.