slow cooker thai chile and corn chowder

Fish & Seafood

Slow Cooker Thai Chile & Corn Chowder

This slow-cooker chowder draws inspiration from both American corn chowder and Thai curry. Thai chile and green curry paste provide spiciness and umami, while cream and coconut milk round out the flavors, resulting in a soup that's the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Blending part of the soup helps thicken it for a delicious bite.

Ingredients

4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
8 frozen mini corn cobs or 2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 ½ cups chopped scrubbed sweet potato
1 ½ cups chopped scrubbed yukon gold potato
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 cup finely chopped unpeeled carrot
1 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 small thai chile or serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and ribs removed, finely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons green curry paste
2 large cloves garlic, grated
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup half-and-half
chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh cilantro and/or lime wedges for garnish

Directions

Combine broth, coconut milk, corn, sweet potato, potato, onion, carrot, scallions, red bell pepper, chile, curry paste, garlic, salt and pepper in a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender and the corn is cooked through, about 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low.
Remove the corn cobs with tongs; place on a cutting board, and let cool for 10 minutes. Once slightly cool, cut kernels off the cobs. (You will have about 2 cups kernels.) Stir the corn kernels into the soup. (If using frozen corn kernels, skip this step.)
Transfer about 3 cups of the soup to a blender. Secure the lid on the blender and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape (use caution when blending hot liquids). Place a clean towel over the opening. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Return the puree to the slow cooker. Stir in half-and-half. Divide the soup among 8 bowls, and garnish with basil, cilantro, scallions and/or lime wedges, if desired.