Serves 6

Total time: 40 minutes || Active time: 20 minutes

For a girl that lives in Nebraska now, I sure don’t post enough corn recipes! And I must reallllly love corn chowder because there’s a different recipe for it in three of my books.

What I dig about this version, is that you really can dress it up or down for any season. It being almost summer and me with a freshly sprung garden, I like to run out and snip whatever fresh herbs call out at me. In this case, basil and chives. A few radishes poking their heads out? Well, great, let’s slice ‘em up and throw ‘em on!

I find that coconut oil and coconut milk give this chowder a heavenly richness while providing the perfect backdrop for all that corn flavor. The chowder is thick, rich and creamy with nice chunks of potato and carrot, and a little lime juice to give it a bit of ZING. It’s filling, yes, but also fresh and summery. I like a big pinch of red pepper flakes for some spice, but you can suit to taste. A jalapeno might be nice if you’ve got some around. Some chopped fresh tomato when they become ripe.

In the summer, serve with a salad (this Garlicky Zucchini Ribbon Salad, maybe?) and in the colder months, serve with a sandwich or just a nice crusty hunk of bread. Maybe a Banh Mi? It really can be a soup for all seasons.

Notes

~ This recipe uses a method that really makes corn chowder shine: let the corn cobs stew in the pot. They hold lots of maize-y flavor, so don’t let ’em go to waste. At the end, you remove the cobs and only your delicious soup knows they were ever there. I suppose you can use frozen corn instead, but only if you’re really crunched for time.~ To slice corn from the cob without the corn bouncing all over the place, put the husked corn in a wide bowl and simply use your chef’s knife to slice down each side. The kernels will fall into the bowl. All will be well. ~ Many supermarkets have already husked corn in their produce department! I (shamefully) take that shortcut when I can, because it shaves like 10 minutes off prep time. Maybe more if you’re a little slower than me.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 cup fresh corn (from 5 to 6 ears)

1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 lb thin skinned potato (like yukon gold), cut into 1/2 inch chunks

4 cups vegetable broth, divided

1 tablespoon corn starch or arrowroot

3/4 cup coconut milk, regular or lite

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

Fresh black pepper to tasteTo garnish:

Chopped fresh chives (1/2 cup should do it)

Thinly sliced fresh basil (1/2 cup or so)

Thinly sliced radish

A few extra fresh corn kernels

Directions