Corn Chowder Recipe

Ingredients

Chowder

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or ghee or butter)
• 2 large leeks, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 cups celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 3 cups corn (3 ears fresh cobs, or frozen)
• 3 cups diced baby potatoes, thinly sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons veggie bouillon (or 2-3 veggie bouillon cubes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 14 ounces full-fat coconut milk (not lite)
• 0.5 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 0.25 teaspoon ground turmeric
• pinch cayenne (optional)

Leek Oil (Optional)

• 4 cups boiling salted water
• 1 cup leek tops, packed, sliced
• 0.5 cup parsley or chives, packed, rough chopped
• 1 cup light olive oil (mildly flavored)
• pinch salt

Instructions

Prepare Leeks

1. Slice leeks and soak in a bowl of water, separate rings, rinse and drain to remove all sediment. The water will also add moisture to the leeks. Save leek tops for the Leek Oil if making.

Cook Chowder

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks, sauté 3 minutes stirring until they just begin to get tender, and lower to medium. Cover for 3-4 minutes and let them get more tender.
2. Add celery and garlic and lower heat to medium-low and sauté until leeks are meltingly tender, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Add corn, potatoes, water, bouillon paste, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Give a few stirs to incorporate the bouillon. Cover, turn heat to medium-low, and let simmer until potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove 4 cups of the veggies from the soup (set aside). Add coconut milk to the pot and blend the remaining soup using an immersion blender. This will thicken the soup without having to add flour. Alternatively, blend half of the soup in a blender. Pour the veggies back into the pot.

Season and Serve

1. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
2. Add the vinegar to taste to give a hint of brightness. Add a pinch of cayenne if you want a little kick.
3. Whisk in a little ground turmeric to give it a golden color. Start with 1/4 teaspoon—it adds a lovely golden color without much flavor.

Notes

• You can substitute water with vegetable broth for extra flavor.
• For a non-vegan version, use butter instead of olive oil and heavy cream instead of coconut milk.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• This chowder freezes well for up to 3 months.