The Holy Season of Lent is a time when folks may be looking for tasty, easy-to-prepare meatless meals. Over the years, The Monitor’s freelance writer Lois Rogers has created a library of meals in her Keeping the Feast column.
This recipe for potato corn chowder is reminiscent of some of the creamy soups my mother served during Lent.
Composed of simple ingredients, many of which came out of the canned goods and jarred vegetables she kept in her well-stocked pantry, such soups were easy to put together on a Friday night after at the end of a work day. This potato corn chowder recipe is not one of hers but knowing her taste for its ingredients, I’m confident she would have enjoyed sitting down to it.
This soup is adapted from several online variations with input from Nancy Howell, a lifelong friend whose focus on the family table never ceases to inspire me. I added the chopped broccoli specifically to bring some spring color and texture to the mix.
With creamy soups, I like to serve corn bread as a side, as it brings a delightful, sweet touch to the meal. For years, I’ve relied on Jiffy mix, which is also very easy to prepare at the end of a work/school day. Suggestions to add some spice to its mix range from a dash of chili pepper to bits of red and green peppers or minced onions, but I generally just stick with the original.
Old-fashioned corn chowder
Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into
1/2-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped and steamed until tender
8 oz. can whole, sweet corn, drained
1/3 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 cup milk
8 oz. brick white cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Place the potatoes in a large soup pot with just enough water to cover, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until the potatoes are tender. Reserve one cup of the potatoes and mash with a fork, then return to soup pot. Stir in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, heat to boiling, add corn and cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to simmer and add the broccoli.
In a small bowl, pour flour into milk and whisk well, then pour into soup pot and cook over medium heat stirring frequently until mixture thickens. Add the cheese, stirring until thoroughly blended.
Serve with corn bread on the side.
Serves four to six.