Corn-o-copia Corn Chowder

Soups are something that are really good, super easy, inexpensive, and a great dinner to make when you want to clean out the frig.

Actors in the play:

Start with the “trilogy,” onions, carrots, and celery.  The trilogy is the basic for almost all of my soup recipes. 

A little flavor with added heat.  A small can of diced chilies and 1 chipotle pepper in adobo.

Bacon, trilogy, peppers, corn and left over sweet potatoes from last night’s curry.

Finished chowder, ready to be served up.

Recipe

1 package bacon diced

Trilogy  (2 carrots, 2 sticks celery with leaves, 1 medium onion.  All diced.)

8 cups water

2 tbsp. chicken bouillon

2 pound bag of frozen corn

¼ cup cornmeal mixed with 2 tbsp. water

1 small can diced green chilies

1 chipotle pepper in adobo diced

I added 1 pasilla pepper and about a cup of diced sweet potato.  (Use what you have and make it your own.)
1 cup heavy cream.  (relax guys, won't hurt you)

2 cups of whatever cheese you have on hand, grated.  I used provolone.

About ½ cup white wine or sherry.  I prefer sherry but I was out.  Oh well, just add a little more wine.  I won’t tell.

2 tbsp. butter

Heat a large pot to medium high and add 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add the trilogy and the diced bacon and cook until bacon starts to brown and the onions turn translucent.  Season with salt and pepper and a tbsp. Italian seasoning.  Add the wine or sherry and deglaze the pot.  Cook until liquid has evaporated.  Add the peppers and whatever other veggies you want to throw in as well as the frozen corn.  Stir and heat until corn is no longer frozen.  Mix 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon in 2 cups water and add to the veggies.  Stir until boiling.  Add the other 6 cups of water and bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Mix the 2 tbsp. water with the cornmeal and add that to the soup and stir.  Simmer until vegetables are cooked to a soft texture.  Add 1 cup heavy cream (nothing wrong with heavy cream) and stir.  Add 2 tbsp. butter.  Bring to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese.  You can sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream if you wish, but I just didn’t have any.  

Mmmmm, enjoy!