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a plain bowl of pale golden creamy corn chowder with many yellow corn kernels and small tender potato cubes visible in the broth, with no bacon, cheese, corn cobs, herb sprigs or garnish
Rachel Kim

Corn Chowder

Keep the stripped cobs after cutting off the kernels; a short simmer gives this corn chowder a broth that tastes of the vegetable instead of only milk and butter. Blend a portion of the cooked corn and potato to thicken it, leaving most kernels whole. There is no flour paste to hide their texture. The cream goes in after that blending step, where it softens the broth without turning the pot into a heavy white sauce. This is the bowl for good fresh corn, with enough potato to make it substantial and enough loose broth that the spoon can still move between the kernels.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 6 medium ears fresh sweet corn kernels cut off to yield about 4 cups, cobs reserved
  • 5 cups water for corn stock
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk finely diced
  • 12 oz Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Method
 

  1. Break stripped corn cobs in half and place in a large saucepan with stock water. Bring to a simmer, cover partly and cook for 20 minutes. Strain, discard cobs and measure 4 cups stock, adding water if needed to reach that amount.
  2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook onion and celery for 7 minutes until soft without browning.
  3. Add potatoes, measured corn stock, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
  4. Add corn kernels and simmer for 5 minutes. Lift 2 cups of soup, including plenty of corn and potato, into a heat-safe blending container and puree carefully until smooth; return to the pot.
  5. Stir in milk and cream and warm over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until steaming without a hard boil. Divide among 6 bowls, keeping whole kernels and potato cubes visible in each serving.