During the colder months, comfort food becomes the desire. The idea of home and hearth in a warm kitchen while a pot of something is cooking on the stovetop is a family memory. Roasting and charring the vegetables before making them chowder adds a layer of flavor, while the chipotles contribute depth to the dish.
SOFTWARE
· 24 oz. red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
· 4 T. olive oil, divided
· 4 t. kosher salt, divided
· 1/2 t. pepper
· 36 oz corn, thawed, drained
· 3 T. unsalted butter
· 2 celery stalks, trimmed, diced
· 1 medium yellow onion, diced
· 6 cloves garlic, crushed
· 3 chipotles in adobe sauce, diced
· 3 T. flour
· 4 c. chicken broth
· 2 c. milk
· 8 oz. smoked gouda, shredded
METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, 2 T. of olive oil, 2 t. of kosher salt, and the pepper. Spread the mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
3. In a large cast iron skillet, warm 2 T. of olive oil to shimmering over medium heat. Add the corn and 2 t. of kosher salt, stirring to mix. Place the baking sheet with the potatoes in the oven at this time.
4. Cook the corn and potatoes for about 30-40 minutes, stirring each at 10-minute intervals. You’ll be done cooking the vegetables when the corn is slightly charred, and the potatoes are roasted.
5. Set aside.
6. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium high. Add the celery, onions, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add the flour and chipotles, stirring to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. If you want a slightly smoother chowder, hit the mixture with a stick blender for about 30 seconds.
8. Once it reaches a boil, back down the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add the potatoes and corn, then add the milk. Bring the chowder back to a simmer.
10. In handfuls, add the gouda, stirring and letting it completely melt before adding the next handful.
11. When fully mixed in, taste, adding salt and pepper if desired. You can also add your favorite hot sauce now if you want to boost the spice.
12. Ladle into bowls and serve. Be very careful as the chowder is going to be hot right out of the pot.
13. Enjoy.
VARIANTS
This is pretty robust as it is, but you could use a different pepper than the chipotles if you like. Fresh corn will cook faster than thawed or canned. Serve with the cast iron biscuits or warm bread.
