I should have called this recipe “It’s Time for Thyme in Corn Chowder!” That herb, along with the parsley, is really delicious in this creamy blend. Oh, I could break into song. I don’t have the sage and rosemary, but you get the drift. Since corn is difficult to digest, I rarely eat it. When I do, it’s in this soup. I go out of my way to source non-GMO corn, and combine it with alkaline components to balance the high sugar content and acidity. This is pure comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
- cloves garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- Natural salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 red-skinned potatoes, peeled and diced
- 6 cups (1.1 kg) corn kernels (fresh from 8 to 10 ears, or defrosted frozen)
- 1 cup (50 g) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 5 cups (1.2 l) vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk (shake, then pour)
How to Make It
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the celery, carrots, bell pepper, and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes more.
- Add the corn, half of the parsley, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Pour in just enough broth to cover the vegetables, increase the heat to high, and bring the soup just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk and salt to taste.
- Simmer for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly. Transfer about 2 cups of the soup into your blender and blast on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until creamy. (Remember to remove the plastic cap in the blender top and cover the opening with a kitchen towel so steam can escape while you blend.)
- Return the blended mixture to the rest of the soup in the saucepan, stir to combine well, and set over low heat to warm. Add the remaining ½ cup (25 g) parsley and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.