VELVET CORN CHOWDER WITH RED PEPPER CREAM

Baby it's cold outside....... I love soups with different flavors drizzled on top! This is a simple soup everyone thinks you slaved over. The spicy red cream sauce packs a punch of color and flavor to this creamy corn chowder. And a few words about corn, I cringe in the produce section or the Farmers Market when I see people pulling apart the protective husks to see if the corn is in straight rows on the cob. WHO CARES?? It isn't staying in a straight row when you cook it. It matters how it tastes, that's all that matters, nothing else matters!!! Fully ripe sweet corn has bright green, moist husks. The silk should be stiff, dark and moist. You should be able to feel individual kernels by pressing gently against the husk. Fresh corn, if possible, should be cooked and served the day it is picked or purchased. As soon as corn is picked, its sugar begins is gradual conversion to starch, which reduces the corn's natural sweetness. Corn will lose 25% or more of its sugar within 25 hours after harvesting it. If for some reason corn is not being used immediately or has been purchased from the supermarket, add sugar to replace that which has been lost. Add one teaspoon sugar for each quart of water. Between purchasing and cooking, keep the corn moist and cool. Pack in a cooler for the trip home from farm or market and refrigerate corn immediately after taking it home. By refrigerating the corn, it helps the corn stay sweet by not letting the sugars turn to starch. Use within two or three days. - From What's Cooking America RED PEPPER CREAM: 2 lg red bell peppers 2 T fresh oregano 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 T olive oil ½ tsp salt 2 T heavy cream Roast peppers under broiler or over flame until blackened and blistered. Place peppers in bowl and cover for about 10 minutes. Peel away skins, discarding stems and seeds. Chop peppers and place in blender. Add oregano, cayenne, olive oil and salt. Puree the mixture, drizzling the cream in while blending. Transfer to bowl and set aside. CORN CHOWDER: 2 slices bacon, chopped ¼ C. celery, finely diced 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 2 C. chicken broth 4-5 red new potatoes, diced 1½ T. fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper, to taste 2 C. milk, heated 6 ears of corn, remove kernels saving as much juice as possible In a heavy saucepan over med-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve for another use. Increase your temperature and add the celery and onion and saute until translucent. Increase the heat to high and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the corn and the juice, simmer until the corn is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the soup in individual bowls topping with a spoonful of the red pepper cream. Serves 6-8

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