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Roasted poblano corn chowder ........................Judith Rucki
Roasted poblano chicken corn chowder
BY JUDITH A. RUCKI
or skim work, but soup won’t be as creamy) 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolve with a splash of cold chicken stock before adding to crockpot) Garnish Daryl says, “I like to use fresh chopped chives, but scallions are nice too. For those who like a little more kick, try jalapeño peppers. I recommend purchasing a fresh French baguette to serve on the side.”
Elderwood Regional Manager of Dining Services Daryl Cronk began his restaurant career as a dishwasher.
“I knew it was my calling,” he shares. “I fell in love with the industry as a whole.”
After learning from chefs with whom he worked, Cronk attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Though he now works in management, Cronk has twenty-five years of experience as a chef in hotels, restaurants, and resorts. He says, “I got into senior care fifteen years ago and never looked back.”
Cronk credits baby boomers with elevating the standards of food at senior facilities; he shares that the industry has changed considerably over the last decade or so, and for the better.
“We hire real chefs with real culinary skill,” he says. “We don’t let the menus get stale.”
He says that the corn chowder recipe he’s provided is “full of flavor and color,” and frequently requested by Elderwood residents. “It’s like a meal, not something you want to start with [and] then have an entrée,” Cronk says. “It’s hearty and warms you up.”
Roasted poblano chicken corn chowder
Courtesy of Daryl Cronk, regional manager of dining services at Elderwood
Ingredients
2 6–8-ounce chicken breasts 1 red onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 ribs celery, minced 5 ears sweet corn, shucked, rinsed, and kernelled 1 poblano pepper, seeded, roasted, and chopped Tip: Cut pepper in half and remove stem and seeds. Hold the pepper halves over an open flame (gas stove burner) until you see charring. Remove with tongs, let cool, and chop on cutting board. 2 Yukon gold potatoes (large, diced) Tip: Leave the skins on; they complement the soup’s rustic theme. 3 strips bacon, fully cooked and chopped 5 sprigs fresh thyme 3 cups chicken stock or broth 3 cups Vitamin D milk (two percent
Instructions:
Chop and mince all veggies and add to the crockpot.
Add thyme, salt, and pepper.
Add raw chicken breast.
Add wet ingredients including the dissolved cornstarch.
Add bacon.
Set crockpot to high for an hour and a half, then reduce heat to low for a minimum of two additional hours.
Chicken breast can be removed after an hour and a half and cooled in the refrigerator. Once cooled, pull the chicken breast into shredded-looking pieces. Add chicken back into the crock once shredded.
Adjust seasoning and garnish. FY
Judith A. Rucki is a public relations consultant and freelance writer.
