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The Spicy Sister, Corn Chowder with Heat [GF, DF, SF]

dinner gluten free recipes soup vegan Dec 05, 2018

The Spicy Sister, Corn Chowder with Heat

Okay, so I was in the kitchen the other day making one of my favorite soup recipes - my Spicy, Summer Corn Chowder. It's a little taste of summer, with a touch of fall and soooooo good. As I was gathering the ingredients, I realized I was a little short on celery. So I decided to see what else I could add in place. I looked around and found two poblano peppers and a bunch of yellow potatoes. Perfect!

I didn't think it would change the recipe that much, but it kind of did! It was still similar to the original corn chowder recipe but, now it was even spicier - and I loved it! Plus I added potatoes this time, which I purposely left out of the original because white potatoes can be inflammatory to some people, myself included.

However, they are traditionally part of corn chowder, so in they went. This added more density to the soup. And the next thing I knew, a spicier, heartier version of my original corn chowder was born. The recipes are definitely very similar but the taste is different enough that it calls for a new name, plus it's a bit heartier. So the name, The Spicy Sister seemed very fitting <3

Use a Food Processor to Save Time

Another thing I wanted to add is how to save time. This recipe is what I call slow food. It's one of those recipes that takes a little more time in the kitchen. For me I love this type of recipe from time to time. But if you are looking to make this in a pinch, I recommend using a food processor to process your veggies fast.

First throw in the onion and pulse that until it is finely chopped. Remove the onion from the container and set aside. Then add the potatoes and pulse those until finely chopped. Again remove from the container and set aside. Finally, add the rest of the veggies - the carrots, celery, garlic, poblanos and even the rosemary. Pulse until all finely chopped. Now you can gather the rest of the ingredients and get this soup cooking fast!

The Spicy Sister, Corn Chowder with Heat

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free

Author: Jessica Yeager

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed
2-3 tablespoons EVOO
1 yellow onion, finely diced
6 yellow potatoes, finely diced
6 carrots, peeled and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 poblano peppers, roasted, seeds removed & finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
1.5 teaspoon oregano, dry
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups vegetable broth, homemade
4 bags frozen corn, white, yellow or both
1 bay leaf
2 cups filtered water (or use broth here)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for two hours
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Get the Goods

Steam whole head of cauliflower until fork-tender (about 8-10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside
To save time process all veggies in a food processor. First do the onion alone. Then the potatoes. And then all the rest of the veggies (carrots, celery, garlic, poblanos and rosemary). No need to wash in between veggies.
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat
Add onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and fragrant
Then add potatoes, carrots, celery, poblano peppers, garlic, rosemary, oregano and red pepper flakes
Saute for about 5 minutes, again until soft and fragrant
Add vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil
Add corn kernels and bay leaf
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, make the cream. In a high-speed blender, add the water, steamed cauliflower, cashews, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy
Add the cauliflower cream to the pot of soup and stir. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients
Simmer 5 more minutes to allow flavors to marry
Do a taste test for flavor and texture. Add sea salt and pepper as needed. More broth will thin out soup if desired
Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with rosemary
Serve with gluten free bread
Plant good health, one bite at a time! Buon appetito ;)

Notes

Huge timesaver: Use a food processor to pulse your veggies. The finer the better.
For the cauliflower: No need to break the cauliflower head into florets, make it easy and steam it whole
For the cream: you want a pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add more broth or water. If it’s too thin, add more cashews
Gluten free bread: I serve it with sourdough bread from Bread Srsly
No cashews? You can use just cauliflower and will still have a nice, creamy soup
Don't like it spicy? Just eliminate the red pepper flakes