Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

When teaching a class, there’s one question I get asked most and that’s “what’s your favorite type of food to make?” It’s a really hard question to answer, because I love all types of food and cuisines, but I find myself turning to Latin flavors most often. I especially love the bright, bold and fresh flavors found in Mexican cooking and love eating them even more! There’s so much variety between the regions making for a never-ending culinary adventure. At home, we’re always cooking up an assortment of Mexican dishes such as tacos, tortas, tamales, chicken tortilla soup, chilaquiles, queso fundido (my kids call it queso yum yum), salads and coctel de camarones (shrimp cocktail).

We offer several different Mexican-themed cooking classes, but we recently added a new Secrets of Mexico Boot Camp where we’ll spend the day discovering the rich culinary traditions of Mexico while preparing authentic recipes. It’s an excellent opportunity to spice up your cooking skills and learn how to use traditional Mexican ingredients to prepare dishes like ceviche, tamales, mole and chiles en nogada, to name a few.

I was craving soup the other day, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I made a Mexican-inspired chowder with roasted corn, poblano peppers and chorizo. Soup is great this time of year because it bridges the gap between the warm days and chilly nights.

To get the base for my soup started, I roasted two poblano peppers right over my gas burner until they were charred on all sides. At the same time, I brushed some neutral oil on three ears of corn, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and roasted them in a 425° oven until they were golden brown in some spots.

While waiting for the corn and poblanos, I started cooking Mexican chorizo in my pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through. Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage made from pork that’s seasoned with chilies and spices. I always keep a supply in my fridge because it’s great in tacos, refried beans, queso fundido and chilaquiles. Mexican chorizo can render a lot of fat when cooking, but leave it in your pot for this recipe because it will help you make the roux, which will thicken the chowder.

I added diced onions and jalapeños to the pan with the cooked chorizo, and once they were softened, I stirred in minced garlic and ground cumin. I sprinkled in some all-purpose flour to make the roux (which is the thickener for the chowder), and then whisked in chicken stock.

Any time you thicken chicken stock with roux, you’re making a very classic sauce called velouté which is the backbone to many soups, sauces and gravies. If you’re ready to take a deep dive into sauces (and a lot of other cooking techniques), sign up for our epic week-long Culinary Boot Camp where we’ll spend all of day three making soups and sauces!

Some diced potatoes and the roasted poblano peppers went into the soup and I brought it to a boil. Once boiling, I reduced the heat to a simmer and cooked the chowder until the potatoes were tender.

I finished the soup with the roasted corn, fresh cilantro and homemade tortilla chips for garnish. If you find yourself with old corn tortillas (which we often do), make chips so they don’t go to waste! Cut the tortillas into triangles, spray both sides with pan spray, sprinkle with salt and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. So easy and delicious!  

You can finish the soup with a touch of heavy cream if you like (I meant to but then forgot because it honestly didn’t need it) and/or a squeeze of fresh lime juice if it needs a kick of acid.

We served our soup with pickled jalapeño-cheddar biscuits but quesadillas would be yummy, too.

Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour

3 ears corn, shucked

1 tablespoon canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 poblano peppers

1/2 pound Mexican chorizo

1/2 onion, medium dice

1 jalapeño, seeded and cut into small dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken stock

1 russet potato, medium dice

1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, rough chopped

Lime juice to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups tortilla chips, crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the ears of corn on a sheet tray, brush with the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown in several spots. Allow to cool. Once cool, cut the kernels from the cob and set aside.
3. While the corn is roasting, roast the poblano peppers. Place the peppers directly on your burner grate and turn the gas flame to high. Roast, turn the pepper occasionally, until blackened on all sides.
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. You can alternatively place them in a paper bag. Allow the peppers to steam until they are cool enough to handle.
5. Remove the blackened skin and seeds from the peppers, and cut the flesh into medium dice. Set aside.
6. Heat a saucepot over medium heat, and add the chorizo. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through.
7. Add the onions and jalapeños, and gently sauté until tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
8. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
9. Sprinkle in the flour, and allow to cook for about 1 minute.
10. Pour in the chicken stock, add the potatoes and roasted peppers, and stir well. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Cook, covered, until the potatoes are knife tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
12. Stir in the roasted corn kernels and add the heavy cream, if desired. Simmer, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
13. Add the cilantro, lime juice if needed, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
14. Ladle into bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips.

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge of Mexican cuisine and ingredients, sign up for our new Secrets of Mexico Boot Camp on Saturday, June 22 or September 28 at 10am.