No doubt my love for Poblano chiles is quite evident, so when I came across the recipe for Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder, I quickly became excited.
This Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder reminded me of the Summer Chowder I made last summer. This soup needed very little adaptation. The only thing I did differently, was to use vegetable broth, instead of chicken broth so that it would be vegetarian for Meatless Monday.
This creamy and mildly spiced corn chowder with poblano chili peppers comes alive when splashed with fresh lime juice at the end. A corn chowder that will leave you immediately wanting another bowl!
Here’s how I made this amazing Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder:
Roast the chiles: There are lots of ways to roast chiles. You can roast them on a grill or bake them in an oven like THIS. When roasting your chiles make sure they get blackened all over, then put them in a bowl, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let them steam. When the chiles have cooled to touch, use your fingers or a dampened paper towel to strip off the charred skin. Cut them open, remove and discard the stem, seed pod and inside veins. Roughly chop the chiles and set aside.
I did this a day ahead, wrapped the diced poblanos up and refrigerated overnight to save time the day I made the soup
Melt butter in a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and the celery, stir to coat with the butter. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onions and celery are softened and begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, cut the fresh kernels of corn off of the cobs.
When the onions and celery begin to brown, add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Then stir in the potatoes.
Add in the vegetable broth, the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt.
Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer and cook about 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through.
When the potatoes have cooked through, add in the corn and cook simmering for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the chopped roasted poblanos to the pot.
Remove the bay leaves. Add black pepper, to taste. Using an immersion blender or stand-up blender purée about 3 cups of the soup. Then add it back into the pot.
This step is not necessary if you do not want a creamy soup.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream until dispersed.
To serve, sprinkle with a little fresh lime juice and serve with a slice or two of lime.
DO NOT OMIT THE LIME JUICE!!
This chowder comes alive when splashed with lime juice but wait until the end, when you are serving the chowder. You don’t want to simmer a cream based soup with something acidic like lime juice, it just might curdle.
This soup was a little ugly in terms of presentation, but I am telling you this stuff was good! Just don’t forget the lime juice at the end. It really set this soup off!
Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 poblano green chiles large, about 1 ½ cups roasted, peeled, and chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 yellow onions medium diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 russet potatoes medium sized, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 ears of corn about 4 cups of corn kernels
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 cup heavy cream
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 limes one sliced for garnish, one for juice
Instructions
Roast the chiles
- There are lots of ways to roast chiles. You can roast them on a gas burner flame, on a grill or bake them in an oven. When roasting your chiles make sure they get blackened all over, then put them in a bowl, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let them steam. When the chiles have cooled to touch, use your fingers or a dampened paper towel to strip off the charred skin. Cut them open, remove and discard the stem, seed pod and inside veins. Roughly chop the chiles and set aside.
The Chowder
- Melt butter in a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and the celery, stir to coat with the butter. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onions and celery are softened and begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes,
- While the onions are cooking, cut the fresh kernels of corn off of the cobs.
- When the onions and celery begin to brown, add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
- Add the potatoes and the stock to the pot. Add the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt.
- Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer and cook about 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through.
- Add in the corn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add the chopped roasted poblanos to the pot.
- Remove the bay leaves. Add black pepper, more or less to taste.
- Using an immersion blender or stand up blender purée about 3 cups of the soup. Then add it back into the pot.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cream until dispersed.
- To serve, sprinkle with a little fresh lime juice and serve with a slice or two of lime.
David says
Good morning, Debbie! It really is amazing how that splash of lime juice at the end really brings everything together. I have made a couple soups that were “okay” that got transformed to “Wow!” with a squeeze of lime.
Hope you have a great week!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hey David!
This soup was Ho-Hum without the lime. I love lime juice, especially in Mexican dishes. As you said, it does transform a dish.
Hope you have a great week also.
Debbie
P.S. Big 3-day grilling weekend coming up… whoohoo! 🙂
Dana@ IveGotCake says
wow wow wee wow!!
Great pictures Debbie, I can practically taste this chowder!!
So good, so good
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you! It would be nothing without that lime wedge…
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
Debbie, this sounds amazing! I love poblanos and this chowder just is calling me. Marvelous!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Oh Julie, thanks! If you love poblanos you must make this!!! 🙂
SJG says
Yum! I could definitely dig into a bowl of this with a nice crusty loaf of bread.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Do it! You won’t be disappointed, but do not forget the lime!!