Fresh Corn Chowder with Roasted Corn Guacamole

For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to feature recipes that highlight the bounty of fresh vegetables that are available this time of year. From Gazpacho to Ratatouille to ways of dealing with zucchini overload, we’ve managed to eat our way around the garden or farmer’s market.

But this recipe might take the prize for offering not one, but two great ideas for farm fresh corn.

Fresh Corn Chowder with Roasted Corn Guacamole.

The soup was great. The guacamole was AWESOME! Why has it never occurred to me to put roasted corn in guac?

This recipe came to me courtesy of my friend Regina who is not only a fabulous flutist in Charleston, SC but also bakes and decorates amazing, fancy cakes and desserts. No big surprise that we would be friends….always align yourself with good bakers!

Here’s what you need:

Fresh Corn, Garlic, Jalapenos, Red Onion, Avocado, Cilantro, Lime, Chicken or Vegetable Broth, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper. (Sour Cream for garnish not shown.)

Click here for a Fresh Corn Chowder with Roasted Corn Guacamole Shopping List

The original recipe says that you can also make this with frozen, defrosted corn, but after making it with fresh, I can’t imagine it any other way.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

You’ll need 8 ears of corn total – 3 for the guacamole and 5 for the soup. I’m using a combination of white and yellow corn because I love the tenderness and sweetness of the white but want the color of the yellow. Bi-color corn would obviously solve that problem but my store was out.

Cut the kernels off 3 ears of corn…

and spread them on a baking sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil. The corn will stick so the foil is a crucial step. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over the corn and season with salt & pepper.

Roast the corn in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, until it is golden brown, caramelized, and a little crunchy.

Meanwhile, peel and smash 1 clove of garlic. Grab a red onion and chop 1/2 of the onion into medium pieces for the soup and mince 1 Tablespoon of red onion into very small, tiny pieces for the guacamole. Save the remainder of the onion for another recipe.

Remove the seeds and inner membranes from 2 jalapenos. Like the onion, chop 1 jalapeno into medium pieces for the soup and mince 1 jalapeno into tiny pieces for the guacamole.

To build the guacamole, put the minced jalapeno and red onion into a small bowl.

Add the zest of 1 lime and 2 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Set the bowl aside until the corn is done roasting.

For the soup, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic, 1/2 chopped red onion, and chopped jalapeno and sauté for 5 minutes until tender but not browned.

Cut the kernels off the remaining 5 ears of corn and place them in a food processor or sturdy blender.

Add the sautéed onions and peppers

and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides and use the pulse feature to get a smooth texture but do not add any additional liquid.

Pour the corn mixture back into the soup pot and simmer, stirring constantly over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 1½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth (to make it vegetarian) and stir to combine.

Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

By now the corn should be golden and delicious. Don’t worry about a few kernels that might be a bit more brown…they actually taste great. Set the corn aside until the soup is ready.

When you are ready to eat, finish the guacamole by adding the corn to the bowl. Squeeze in the juice of the lime that you zested earlier.

Cut an avocado into cubes with a sharp knife and use a large spoon to lift the pieces out of the peel.

Gently fold the avocado into the guacamole. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a generous spoonful (or two) of the roasted corn guacamole.

Regina suggested adding a dollop of sour cream on top and I agree!

Jim gave me a “look” when he came home and saw 8 ears of corn on the kitchen counter. He’s not a huge fan of corn on the cob (weird) but he absolutely loved this soup. The natural starches of the corn make this soup luxurious and creamy even though there is no cream added. The roasted corn guacamole is out of this world delicious.

This one is definitely a keeper!

Here’s the recipe – Adapted from Epicurious

Fresh Corn Chowder with Roasted Corn Guacamole

Note:  the original recipe says this makes 4-6 servings. If you’re serving a small cup of soup as an appetizer, maybe. We had a medium bowl of soup served with salad and bread and had 2 nice portions plus one leftover. If you have more than 3 people, I’d suggest making a double batch.