Cooking with Judith

Judith’s Chili Relleno Corn Chowder

This is one of the recipes that I included in the first book of the Silver Magnolia series, The Buffet Goes Off the Track that Izzy serves to her friends as they settled into an afternoon and evening of friendship and puzzles.

8 Hearty Servings: a meal, add a salad, add some tortilla chips

All cooking is your large stove-top pot.

ingredients

½ pound bacon, cut up

2 C yellow or white onions, chopped. I like the Vidalia.

8 C chicken broth to pot. I love Better than Bouillion® chicken flavor.

2 russet potatoes, peeled & chopped

6 ribs of organic celery, chopped

2 4 oz cans Ortega or Hatch diced chilies; I use Ortega.

4 T butter

32 oz frozen corn

3 T honey powder

3 C half & half or full creme. I do both, 1½ C of each

1 to 1½ C shredded cheddar or Mexican cheeses

4-6 T corn meal.

Salt and pepper to taste.

2 avocados. Cut for color and taste if you like avocados.

cilantro

putting it all together

All cooking will be done in a large pot. Cook bacon with onions until the onions start to soften. Add chicken broth, potoatoes, celery, chilies, butter, corn, and honey power. Bring to a simmer and allowing the flavors mix.

Blend in the half-in-half and cheese.

Make slurry with corn meal and in one cup of hot water to break down before adding to all for the final blending. This thickens the chowder and enhances the corn flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional toppings: avocados and cilantro.