CORN, TOMATO AND BASIL CHOWDER

Corn, Tomato and Basil Chowder image

This summer corn chowder is flavored with lime juice and basil and is nearly as light and fresh as a salad - until you add the optional dollop of crème fraîche.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories soups and stews, main course, side dish

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

6 ears corn, shucked
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound waxy potatoes (red or Yukon Gold are good), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 lime
Crème fraîche or sour cream, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Slice corn kernels off cob and place in a bowl. Run back of a knife along each cob to remove additional corn pulp. Add pulp to bowl; reserve cobs.
In a medium soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add broth, reserved cobs, 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt to pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Remove cobs and discard.
Stir in corn kernels and pulp, tomatoes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes more. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Turn off heat and let soup cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream, if using.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 269, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 45 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 725 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams, TransFat 0 grams