I made this for dinner last week and boy, oh boy, it was sure dang tasty!  Now is the time – summer is here, the corn is on point, but the Bay Area fog and chill can sneak in right around dinner time and make you wish you had a warm bowl of soup.  This is the answer my friends…

Spicy Chorizo Corn Chowder

slightly adapted from from Sunset Magazine, July 2013

Ingredients:

  • 2 poblano chiles
  • 12 oz. chorizo, loose or cases removed
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears)
  • 2 cups of Poultry Stock from The Local Butcher Shop
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup slivered red onion
  • 1/2 cup finely sliced basil leaves
  • lime wedges

1.  If you have a gas stove, hold peppers over flame with tongs and turn as needed until the pepper is blackened all over.  Put in a brown paper bag and let them sit for a few minutes to cool.  Peel the skins off the peppers and remove the stem and seeds.  Chop and set aside.

If you have an electric stove, preheat the broiler.  Oil a rimmed baking sheet.  Set chiles on sheet and broil, turning as needed, until blackened all over, about 18 minutes total.  Let cool, then peel, remove stem and seeds and chop; set aside.

2.  Cook chorizo in a large saucepan over medium heat, breaking sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until meat and fat have separated.  Strain through a fine strainer and discard fat.  Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

3. Return chorizo to pan and stir in corn and broth.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally until corn is just tender, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to a simmer, add cream and poblanos and cook 2 more minutes to blend the flavors.

4.  Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with onion and basil and serve with lime for squeezing on top.