Fresh Sweet Corn Soup

I thoroughly enjoy a good chowder- clam, potato, and especially corn- but chowders tend to be quite heavy. Don’t get me wrong, heavy cream is delicious in anything, but it also packs a lot of calories. In fact, one cup of corn chowder can contain over 600 calories. Many people also have a hard time digesting large amounts of heavy cream. With that in mind, and with sweet corn being in peak season in northern Michigan, I wanted to see if there was a way to enjoy the taste of corn chowder without the bulkiness of the traditional cream-based chowders. In contrast with some corn chowder recipes that call for up to 2 cups of heavy cream sometimes in addition to half and half or other milk products, in this corn soup, only 1⁄4 of a cup of heavy cream is used. Don’t worry though, you still get a delicious creamy taste without the extra calories and fat.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of fresh corn kernels (approximately 6 ears)
• 1 cup diced sweet or yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 12 ounces of Yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: green onion, shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and lime
wedges.

Directions:

1. Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté onions until they start to soften, about 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Add in the celery and carrots and sauté until almost tender.
4. Add the bay leaf, broth, potatoes, and corn to the pot and bring it up to a light boil.
5. Cook until the potatoes are tender, and then remove the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Carefully remove 1 to 2 cups of the soup and place it in a blender or food processor.
7. Blend it for a few seconds, until smooth, and add it back to the pot of soup, along with the heavy cream.
8. Serve with your choice of toppings.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. This soup tastes great reheated the next day.