The Minimalist’s Corn Chowder

Name: The Minimalist’s Corn Chowder
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 to 6 ears corn; 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (optional); 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

December 20, 2011

Anyone who’s ever had a garden or raided a corn field knows that when corn is young you can eat it cob and all and that the cob has as much flavor as the kernels. That flavor remains even when the cob has become inedibly tough, and you can take advantage of it by using it as the base of a corn chowder—a corn stock, if you will. Into that stock can go some starch for bulk, a variety of seasonings from colonial to contemporary, and, finally, the corn kernels. The entire process takes a half hour or a little bit longer, and the result is a thick, satisfying, late summer chowder.

Recipe notes

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