015 / 100 · Soups with Something to Say
Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder
About 8 cups chowder Active 25 min Total 50 min
Sweet corn and potatoes make a chowder with plenty of texture and a naturally rounded flavor. The soup is thickened by lightly mashing some of the potatoes, rather than with a flour roux. Milk and a small amount of cream add richness, while chives give the final bowls a fresh edge. Frozen corn works well, so there is no need to wait for summer. Keep the final simmer gentle once the milk goes into the pot.
A potato can thicken its own soup
Yukon Gold potatoes hold small chunks reasonably well but also mash readily when pressed against the pan. Start by crushing just a few pieces after they become tender. The broth will gain body as the starch disperses. Mashing too much turns the chowder toward a puree and leaves less contrast with the corn. Cut the potatoes to half-inch cubes so the specified simmer cooks them evenly without requiring the corn to boil for a long time.
Let sweet corn stay sweet
Add the corn near the end, especially if it is frozen. Long boiling can make the kernels tough and flatten their fresh flavor. There is no need to thaw frozen kernels before measuring. Fresh corn can be cut from the cob straight into a wide bowl to catch the flying kernels; scrape any milky liquid from the cob into the pot as well. The cream is a finishing ingredient, so warm it through without reducing the soup aggressively.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut unpeeled into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, labeled pepper-free and chili-free
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 cups (450 g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives
Set out
Large heavy soup pot, Potato masher or sturdy spoon, Ladle
Allergens
Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Melt the butter in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook for 7 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned.
- Add the potatoes, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook partly covered for 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Use a masher or sturdy spoon to crush about one-quarter of the potato cubes in the broth, leaving plenty of pieces whole.
- Stir in the corn and milk. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the corn is hot and tender. Do not boil hard.
- Stir in the cream and heat for another 2 minutes. If the chowder is thicker than you like, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Ladle into 6 bowls and scatter with the chives.
A useful detail
A heavy pot and a low final simmer help prevent the milk from catching on the bottom. Stir from the base whenever the chowder is on the heat. Thin Yukon Gold skins can stay on for texture; trim any green or damaged areas before dicing.
Make it your own
- Add 1 cup diced yellow summer squash with the corn.
- Replace half the corn with thawed frozen peas, adding them for only the last 3 minutes.
Keep it well
Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, stirring, to 165°F/74°C. Freezing is possible, but the dairy may separate and the potatoes can become grainy.