Description
A chowder featuring the amazing flavor of roasted poblano chilies balanced by roasted sweet corn, red potatoes, bacon and queso fresco.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
- Salt and pepper
- 5 slices bacon, chopped fine
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, peels left on, cut into quarters
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Crumbled queso fresco for garnish
Instructions
- Cut corn off cobs. Core chili’s, remove seeds and cut in half, being careful not to touch your eyes. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the chiles and rub all over with fingers. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the corn, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Move an oven rack to upper middle position. Set oven broiler to high and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the peppers on one end, and spread out the corn on the rest of the sheet. Broil for about 10 to 15 minutes until the chiles are blackened and the corn is spotty brown, flipping the peppers and stirring the corn half way through.
- While the chiles/corn roast, set a dutch oven or large pot to medium high heat on the stovetop. Cook the bacon bits until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon. Add the minced onion to the pot and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth, potatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, and the corn when it’s ready, mixing and scraping the bottom of the pot for a few seconds. Place the blackened chiles into a small container and cover for later. (I use a small tupperware container with a lid.)
- Gently boil the potatoes until they are soft, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard the skins from the chilies, chop them up and set aside. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice, cream and cilantro to the pot and stir to incorporate.
- Place about two cups of chowder into a blender and puree. Pour into the chowder and stir to incorporate. (If you have an immersion blender, just use that for a few seconds right in the pot.) Stir in the chile and set to low heat for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle with bacon and crumbled queso fresco and serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: soup
- Cuisine: New Mexican