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Corn Chowder with Pepitas and Cilantro

This is one book for your bookshelf. It's a lovely photographed technique based book , for everyone. This recipe is clean and fresh with a crunchy topping you should not leave out.
Course Soup
Cuisine Vegetables
Servings 4 -6
Author Cara Mangini, The Vegetable Butcher

Ingredients

  • Kernels shaved from 6 large ears of corn reserve the cobs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 whole black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/4 -inch dice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 11/2 teaspoons fine sea salt plus extra as needed
  • 2 pinches of cayenne pepper plus extra as needed
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4-1/3 cup freshly crumbled feta or goat cheese for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
  • 1/4 cup spiced and sweet pepitas for serving
  • Your best extra virgin olive oil for finishing
  • Lemon or lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Fill a large pot with 1 gallon of water. Add the shaved corn cobs, bay leaf, and peppercorns, bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down and simmer, partially covered, for at least 25 minutes and up to 60 minutes to impart as much corn flavor into the stock as possible.
  2. Remove the cobs, bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep the stock on low.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, until the butter melts.
  4. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, corn kernels, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the cayenne.
  5. Turn up the heat to medium high and cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Add 4 cups of corn stock to, cover the pot, and bring to a simmer.
  7. Adjust the heat to medium-low and uncover pot slightly.
  8. Simmer until the corn and onions have softened, about 20 minutes.
  9. Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter. Once it has melted, take the pot off the heat.
  10. Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the soup until it is smooth. (this will yield a blended soup, with some texture; to get it silky smooth, puree it in batches in a high speed blender).
  11. Return the soup to medium heat and add up to 1 more cup of the stock if needed to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
  12. Add the lemon juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste.
  13. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish each with cilantro, feta, freshly ground pepper and the pepitas, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  14. Serve with lemon or lime wedges alongside.
  15. Alternatively, let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more stock if needed to thin the soup;garnish and serve cold.