Southwest Simmer: Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

This should be the preface for every recipe/meal: I always prepare larger portions when I cook. This is because I refrigerate and/or freeze the leftovers for Allen's lunch, for sick neighbors/friends, and for the days when I am beat and have no desire to cook. It is also more cost effective to prepare a larger amount. Let's just say I love Costco. So does Ivy. When I say Costco, she says "Samples!"

Our garden continues to produce peppers abundantly, even though fall is clearly here. We have pinot noirs, poblanos, and jalapenos. Pinot noir peppers are a golden, green with purple violet hues: notes of citrus, and a crisp texture are its most notable features. Poblanos are a mild chile, originating from Puebla, Mexico. It is a fabulous pepper to stuff and fry, or roast. Jalapenos are the ever familiar hot pepper. See these beauties in my photo below.

Ingredients:

3 cups water
3 cups of half and half or whole milk
6 white corn tortillas, chopped
2 cans of corn
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 poblano peppers
2 jalapeno peppers
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
3 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP cumin
2 TBSP minced garlic
1 TSP anaheim chile powder, or regular chile powder if unavailable
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 chicken bouillon cube

Garnish:

diced tomatoes
cilantro
lime juice
mexican cheese

Directions:

Heat your oven to 450 degrees. Cut peppers in half long-ways, and de-seed. You may want to use gloves as jalapeno seeds are known to irritate the skin. Lay foil over a 9x13 cookie sheet. Spray with PAM. Place the peppers on the foiled cookie sheet so that the outsides of the peppers are facing up. Drain the canned corn. Spread around peppers to cover whole pan. Place pan in oven, and roast until pepper skins are very bubbly, but not black. Remove pan from oven.

As your peppers and corn are roasting, get a large stock pot. Add garlic and olive oil; sautee until the onions are clear and minced garlic begins to toast. Then add the diced chicken breast. Stir occasionally on high heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add anaheim powder and cumin. Stir, then add the milk/cream. Drop in the bouillon cube and bring to a boil.

Take out your blender for this next part. Use a fork to place the roasted peppers in the blender along with 3 cups of water. Blend on medium speed for 5 seconds. Then empty the mixture into the stock pot.   Take a spatula and add roasted corn to pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the chopped tortillas. Reduce the heat to simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Add more to taste.

When the soup is ready, you will want to garnish with chopped tomatoes, mexican cheese, cilantro and a wedge of lime. The lime juice really makes this soup. Sadly, today I can't appreciate the full flavor of this chowder since I have a cold-flu bug from Hades. It will probably be even better tomorrow.