Corn Chowder
I'm a Jersey girl surrounded by farms so freezing and canning of veggies is a must. You could use store-bought frozen corn but I highly recommend taking the time to use fresh corn and remove it from the cob.
I'm a Jersey girl surrounded by farms so freezing and canning of veggies is a must. You could use store-bought frozen corn but I highly recommend taking the time to use fresh corn and remove it from the cob.
- Carbohydrate 18.930229375 g
- Cholesterol 39.46 mg
- Fat 12.2188903125 g
- Fiber 0.755385404527187 g
- Protein 7.7274453125 g
- Saturated Fat 6.57215360416667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (312g)
- Sodium 380.28003125 mg
- Sugar 18.1748439704728 g
- Trans Fat 0.739188083333335 g
- Calories 216 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat butter and olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are soft, 8-10 minutes.
- Dust the veg with flour and stir to coat.
- Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Add cream and potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down. (This will help thicken the soup and give it a good texture)
- Add thawed corn, or corn off the cob, and add it to the soup. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes if using frozen-thawed corn or until fresh corn is soft, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Evaluating Starch and Texture Without a Thermometer
The ingredient roster lists potatoes and flour, but it omits how their starches physically behave during the boil. When the liquid reaches a hard boil for seven minutes, the starch cells in the Idaho potatoes rupture completely, releasing amylose into the broth to build viscosity naturally without requiring cornstarch slurries. Watch for the broth to transition from translucent to opaque and slightly glossy, which signals that the flour coating the aromatics has fully hydrated and cooked out its raw flavor.
Maximizing Fresh and Frozen Corn Efficiency
Historically, thick vegetable chowders relied on heavy root crops to sustain households through cold months, whereas modern variations lean on sweet corn varieties. If using fresh ears instead of frozen bags, scrape the cobs firmly with the back of a knife to extract the milky juices, which add natural sugars and extra thickening power to the pot. Simmer the fresh kernels for ten to twelve minutes until tender, testing one piece by pressing it against the side of the pot to ensure it yields without snapping rigidly.
