Vegetarian Corn Chowder Preparation: 1 hour Cooking: 20 minutes Serves: 10 guests Chowder: ½ pound butter 3 celery ribs, chopped 1 brown onion, diced 1 bunch leeks, chopped 2 red bell peppers, diced 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, ½-inch dice, unpeeled 2 carrots, diced 1 pound box frozen corn or 3 ears fresh corn ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 cup flour 3 quarts vegetable stock 2¼ cups heavy cream Chives, thinly sliced cross sections 10 dashes of Maggi seasoning or Tabasco (optional) Red Pepper Coulis Cream: 4 large red bell peppers 1 tablespoon shallots, chopped ½ cup white wine ½ teaspoon whole thyme, diced
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In a big soup pot, melt butter, then add celery, onion, leeks, bell pepper, potatoes, carrots, and corn. Stir well. Sprinkle in salt and black pepper, thyme, white pepper, dry mustard, chopped parsley, and garlic. Cover and sweat for 5 minutes. Add flour and blend well. Cook for 3 minutes, being careful not to burn flour and vegetable mix. Add vegetable stock and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of heavy cream (reserve ¼ cup). Adjust seasonings to taste. Red Pepper Coulis Cream: In a 2-quart saucepan, place red peppers with shallots, wine, and thyme. Reduce wine by ½ and transfer pepper reduction to a blender. Carefully purée pepper (note that hot liquids expand in a blender), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whip remaining ¼ cup heavy cream and fold 2 tablespoons of roasted red pepper coulis into the whipped cream. Divide chowder into bowls. Dollop 1 tablespoon of Red Pepper Coulis Cream on top of each bowl of chowder, then sprinkle on chopped chives just before serving.
