Autumn Sweet Corn Chowder

There is something about September. The warm days with the chilly nights. The fact I can never avoid getting bug bites during this month. The change September brings along. I love the transition into hearty, yummy foods, and corn is one of my favorite ingredients. It's the vegetable that marks the slowing of summer to me as it really doesn't get good until late July through early September. When my awesome co-worker brought in some fresh corn from her CSA for me, I knew this was what I wanted to make. I made the recipe up in my head throughout the day and then tried it out. This recipe is full of my favorite things and really hits the spot It's delicious - just chowder isn't the most beautiful food to photograph is it?

 

What You'll Need
2 Red Skin Potatoes (Medium Size)
1 Medium Sized Sweet Onion
3-4 Ears of Corn OR 1.5 Cups of Frozen Corn
2 Cups of Vegetable Stock
1 Cup of Fat Free Half and Half
Sea Salt and / or Seasoned Salt
Pepper
Brown Sugar
Tumeric
Whole Wheat Flour
Butter
Parmesan Cheese (Shredded)

First, prepare your vegetable stock for the potatoes. Put the 2 cups in a small pot on medium heat. Add some pepper and salt to help flavor. Chop your potatoes into small bits (after washing of course!) and put into the veggie stock. Keep it over a low boil until tender and soft - mine were perfect about 3 minutes before I needed to add the veggie stock to the roux.

Next, chop your onions and clean your corn. I forgot to photograph husking the corn! You'll need right around 2 cups.

Begin to melt 1/4 cup of butter (1/2 a stick) in a large sauce pan (mine was like 4 QT).

Once melted, add the onions. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a few pinches of salt and stir well.

Add the corn once the onions are a bit transulect as well as an additional 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and more salt. Stir well and allow to cook until the onions start to camelize, but don't completely get there. Almost a light brown onion. I tried to capture this in the images.

Once your corn and onions are cooked, add 5 teaspoons of whole wheat flour. Stir in well and cook for an additional 3 minutes over a medium low heat. Add in some of the veggie broth from the potatoes (but not the potatoes) and stir until the flour has turned into a paste.

Add in your 1 cup of Half and half and the rest of the veggie broth with the potatoes and stir well.

Simmer over a medium heat for a few minutes - adding 2-3 teaspoons of tumeric and salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese - or to taste. I tend to sprinkle, taste, then repeat until it gets to the flavor I like it.

And then serve! I suggest serving with a seasonal beverage like fresh apple cider - YUM!

my adorable bowl and straw are from the curiosity shoppe for target