Smoky, Leeky, and of Course, Corny

I love leeks. But unlike their cousins, garlic and onions, I'm never quite sure what to do with leeks. But if I'm eating out and the menu item says "...blah blah leeks..." you bet I'm ordering it! So I decided to do a little experimentation by adding leeks to the corn chowder I was making. If only I was a little more up on my French cuisine... However, experiment's results? Win!

This chowder gets it's smoky flavor (and name) from the bacon, sure. But the real trick to the smoky layered flavors is the blistered bell pepper. If it's old outside (like the subzero temps we've had in the past few weeks) you can use the broiler on your oven to roast peppers, chiles, and the like to beautiful smoky glory. It will add an additional oomph of flavor to any dishes you would be using these babies in (especially chili, soups, and stews!).

Smoky Leek-Corn Chowder
--1 bell pepper, whole
--4 strips bacon
--1 leek stalk, sliced into small rings
--2 ears of fresh corn, niblets sliced off and cobs discarded
--1 10oz. package of frozen corn
--1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or stock
--2 cups heavy whipping cream

Set the oven to broil and place the bell pepper on a baking sheet on the top rack of the oven. Turn the pepper every 3 minutes to ensure even roasting (and not burning!). The pepper is done when it is roasted on all sides and the skin is crackled and easy to peel off. Set it aside to cool. We will not use the oven again in this recipe.

In a pot with deep sides, cook the bacon strips over medium to medium-high heat. When golden brown but not burned, set aside. Add the leeks to the bacon grease in the pot and sauté over medium heat, stirring regularly. When the leeks begin to get tender, add the fresh corn pieces, stirring together to mix. Allow this to cook for two or so minutes so the corn begins to get tender as well.

While the vegetables cook, remove the skin from the pepper. Dice the roasted pepper pieces, removing any stems or seeds as desired. [Note: If you want to add a little more "fire" to the soup, leave some of the seeds in.] Once chopped, add these pepper pieces to the pot and stir to combine before moving on to the next step.

Pour in the frozen corn, broth, and cream. Stir to combine and allow to come to a boil before reducing the temperature and simmering the soup for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep cream from scalding. Serve, topped with the cooked bacon, crumbling one piece atop each bowl like bacon-y croutons. Season with fresh cracked black pepper.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6 bowls
Calories: 307 per bowl

Don't Go South For Winter, Just Go South of the Border

All cooks find inspiration somewhere. I read a lot of other food blogs and subscribe to recipe feeds. One of my favorite finds is from Whole Foods Market. While I don't always follow their recipe true to course, sometimes something they feature gets my brain into thinking along a path. This recipe is *almost* what was printed, but I of course had to make a few tweaks... I changed up the order of things and made my own "taco seasoning." I never was terribly good at following the rules...

Taco Soup
--1 pound of ground chicken or turkey
--
cumin
--paprika
--ancho chili powder
--garlic powder
--onion powder
--crushed red pepper flakes
--oregano
--salt & pepper
--1 medium onion, chopped 

--garlic cloves, minced
--1 large zucchini, quartered
--1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes
--2 cups chicken broth
--1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
--1 cup frozen corn
--
1 cup salsa

Brown the meat in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the meat with the dried spices. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until onion is translucent.Add the zucchini and saute for a few minutes to allow the veggies to start to get tender. Add the meat back to the pot. Taste it! Does it need more seasoning? Add some spices if it does!

Add each of the remaining ingredients one at a time, stirring to mix each individual ingredient before adding the next one. I don't know why, but in my head soups and stews always taste better when you add in each ingrendient singularly.

Simmer, pot covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortillas or corn chips.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...

Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Estimated Calories: 396 per serving