It’s hard to believe that I have been home for a month already. Not one day goes by that I don’t think about my wonderful summer. Fortunately I happen to live in a food city, because I swear I don’t know what I would do if that were not the case. Right now the farmer’s markets are just filled with amazing fall produce. More on that later…
One of the surprises I had coming back to Seattle after almost 3 months away, was the number of new restaurants that had opened while I was gone. It was fun adding new places to my list – and I finally updated my favorites on this blog. The other weekend at the Food Blogger’s Conference, we were fortunate enough to have a tasting fair with many of Seattle’s most popular restaurants, cooking us delicious bites. It was almost too good to be true. It was not too crowded, and you could try whatever you liked. There were 3 restaurants that really won the prize that night in my book. One of them you might notice is on my favorites list already…
- Skillet Diner made their incredible chicken and waffles – crispy fried chicken on top of a delicious tender on the inside and crispy on the outside waffle, with a delicious maple syrup drizzle – I am telling you, it is comfort food at it’s finest.
- Hot Cakes had this drinking chocolate that was out of this world – people were latterly standing there in awe – among the other treats of deliciousness that they were handing out.
- Molly Moons served their vegan coconut ice cream – yes, I have had this before, but it still amazes me that it is dairy free, yet so creamy and rich.
So there you have it – if you happen to be in the area, you can’t go wrong with any of those places. Now back to the markets. My market basket is just wowing me with amazing produce every week, and last week they sent me with all the ingredients to make this delicious vegan soup (and the recipe!). I wasn’t sure that it would really taste like chowder without any dairy – but it certainly did. It was such a nice treat to come home after work, and so quickly be able to warm up this soup for a wonderful meal. There is no doubt that France is a special place for food, but until I get back there, I am lucky to be right here in Seattle.
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels, shucked from ears
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
- 2 Topepo Rosso peppers, seeded and diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Sea salt
Preparation
Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot until shimmering. Add the onion and peppers and sauté until lightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn, sage and chile pepper flakes; saute for 1 minute. Season with salt to taste. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until vegetables are all tender, about 5 minutes.
Carefully pour half the mixture into a blender and purée until smooth (remember the soup is hot, so be careful). Stir the puréed mixture back into the pot with the remaining soup. Taste the soup and add more salt, if desired. Ladle into bowls, garnish with a few chile flakes and serve hot.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Sweet Corn Chowder with Red Pepper and Onion
First Look, Then Cook 