NYC didn’t get the blizzard we (well, I) was hoping for, but one good thing that came out of our clear, sunny weekend is that I was able to have a productive weekend. The phrase “productive weekend” is not commonly heard ’round these parts so this makes me very happy. Jef had Lasik eye surgery(!) so we even traveled to Manhattan both Saturday and Sunday and still managed to get a whole host of other things accomplished. Feels good. Maybe not as good as being holed up watching movies and drinking hot chocolate as the outside world fades into snowy white, but there’s a chance the Blizzard of 2010 might still be coming our way next week so I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed.
We had to make the perfunctory trip to Target while we had Patsy (our Pathfinder) out and I found that pretty cloth napkin and green glass in the photo above at a nearby Pier 1 for $1 each, which contributed to today’s high spirits. Now I know there must be some you out there who know what I’m talking about > Jef doesn’t and the purchase(s) led to discussions today about consumerism and not being able to resist a good sale. I’m totally guilty of feeling like I “saved” when I wouldn’t have spent the money in the first place if the darn things (whatever they may be) weren’t on such a GREAT SALE! Obviously, we weren’t necessarily talking about the props above, with their nominal cost, but it is a small scale of what I do all the time. Need to reign myself in more often.
Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you about the soup I whipped up today amidst taking Jef to his eye appointment, doing laundry, taking Mia on a long walk, catching up with a friend who lives on the west coast, and setting up my wedding to-do list.
I used up a bunch of veggies in my fridge to make this soup, all of which will end up in our tummies this week–such satisfying knowledge. The spoonfuls of sweet corn are a golden reminder of summer sunshine on a cold, snowless day and a great contrast against the spicy Old Bay seasoning. Consider this my little nod to Maryland, wishing the Ravens were playing tonight!
Jackie’s Maryland Corn Chowder
Makes about 7 cups
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced leeks (light green and white parts only)
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
6 cups vegetable stock (I used 4 cups of vegetable stock, 2 cups of water, and 1 of these vegan bouillon cubes)
2 cups diced russet potatoes
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn kernels (use fresh if it’s summertime!)
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning, or to taste (I may have added more!)
Splash hot sauce, optional
Splash Worcestershire sauce, optional
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
Fresh dill, garnish
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onions, carrots, celery, salt and pepper (a sprinkling of each), and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp buter, let melt, then add the flour and stir for 2 minutes to lose the floury taste (since I ended up pureeing some of the soup, I don’t know that this thickening step was really necessary; feel free to leave it out).
Add the vegetable stock, potatoes, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 minutes, then add puree about half of the soup (either by transferring to a blender or using an immersion blender and pulsing until the soup is the consistency you prefer, making sure to leave hearty chunks of potatoes). Add the corn, bell peppers, thyme, Old Bay seasoning, and a few drops of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, if using. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the heavy cream and remaining butter. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish each serving with a bit of chopped fresh dill.