Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder
Roasting the corn and peppers in the oven before adding them to the soup adds a wonderful smoky flavor to this chowder.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
SOUP:
- 2-3 poblano chiles stemmed, halved lengthwise & seeded
- 1 T. vegetable oil divided
- 6 ears fresh corn on the cob kernels cut off
- Salt and pepper
- 4 slices bacon finely chopped
- 1 sm. yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 7 c. chicken broth
- 1 lb. red potatoes un-peeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1/4 c. half-and-half
- 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 T. minced fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- 1 T. lime juice
GARNISHES:
- Crispy bacon crumbles for garnish
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for garnish
- Sour cream for garnish
- Crumbled queso fresco for garnish
- Corn tortilla strips for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil. Position the oven rack 6-inches from the broiler element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss poblanos with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a bowl. Arrange poblanos cut side down in a single row on the short side of the baking sheet.
- In the same bowl, toss the corn kernels in the remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the corn in an even layer on the remaining portion of the baking sheet next to the poblanos. Broil until the poblanos are mostly blackened and the corn is well browned, about 10-15 minutes, flipping the poblanos and stirring the corn halfway through broiling.
- Place poblanos in a zipper-top plastic bag and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove skins and chop poblanos into 1/2-inch pieces; transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the fat in the pot and cook until the onion is softened and beginning to brown about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add broth, potatoes, browned corn, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits in the pan. Cook at a vigorous simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in half-and-half.
- Transfer 2 cups of chowder to a blender. Add tortillas, process until smooth, about 1 minute. Return pureed chowder to the pot and stir in chopped poblanos. Return to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Serve chowder in bowls, passing crumbled bacon, cilantro leaves, lime wedges, sour cream and queso fresco for garnishing.
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