It’s time for yet another soup today! I really wasn’t kidding when I said I am on a soup and chili kick. I like to take advantage of the winter months to make them in my kitchen. They’re comforting, they make enough for leftovers most of the time, they’re wonderful!

Today, I thought I’d offer up a chowder with a bit of a kick. Ok – it can be a big kick depending on how much heat you’d like to pack into it. This corn and tomato chowder contains roasted poblano peppers; they have such a rich, somewhat smoky flavor to them, and I love the depth they add to the soup. If you aren’t able to handle the heat, you can reduce from two to one poblano…or substitute bell pepper instead for more mild flavor.

You can keep this corn and tomato chowder as a vegetarian recipe, but I decided to add bacon. Bacon makes everything better, right???

I found that it is best to serve this chowder immediately. This is one of those soups that doesn’t necessarily get better with sitting on a stove for hours. If you do find it getting thick in consistency, simply add a few tablespoons of stock or broth at a time until it reaches the desired texture.

Serve up your bowls of corn and tomato chowder with sprigs of fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Adding some chips and guacamole on the side is also a tasty treat!

Do you have a favorite soup that keeps you warm during the winter months?

Corn and Tomato Chowder

Corn and tomato chowder recipe

 

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Author: Katie Compton

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) unsalted creamed corn
• 1 cup milk (I use skim)
• ½ to 1 cup chicken stock (or broth)
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and diced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 8 strips cooked bacon, chopped/crumbled
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2-3 green onion stalks, diced for garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the poblano peppers - preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse the poblano peppers and place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Place in oven to roast - turn peppers about every 8 minutes until they are softened and the skin begins to blacken slightly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, remove the tops, veins, and seeds and dice the poblanos. Alternately, you can roast the poblanos on the grill!
2. Heat a pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, diced onion, and celery. Saute until the onion is translucent and the celery begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Alternately, if you have just cooked the bacon, you can drain one tablespoon of grease from the pan and use it in place of the olive oil.
3. When onion is translucent, add the canned diced tomatoes and cook for about 3-4 minutes until heated through. Next, add the creamed corn, milk, and chicken stock/broth. Stir to combine, and then slowly raise the heat temperature on the burner until the contents of the pot come to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium low and then stir in the lime juice and cilantro, reserving a few leaves on the side for garnish. Add the diced poblano peppers and bacon and cook for about 5 minutes until soup is combined fully and cooked through. Serve immediately with garnish of cilantro and green onions - enjoy!

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