Elote Chowder
37
- Prep Time20 min
- Total Time40 min
- Makes6 servings
Produced by Stephanie Han Kim, Photography by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Sage Dakota, Prop Styling by Andrea McCrindle.
Years of living in Mexico City left me with a profound appreciation for elotes and esquites—street corn and a corn-based dish with kernels and melted cheese. This chowder is inspired by those flavours. It’s perfect for dinner and a great way to use up the bounty of corn season. —Diala Canelo
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp sea salt, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups vegetable broth
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-in. pieces
2 340-g bags frozen corn or 6 cups fresh-shucked corn
1 cup 35% cream
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
lime wedges
Instructions
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high. Add onion, celery, poblano and 1⁄4 tsp salt. Season with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 7 to 8 min. Add garlic, chili powder and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 1 min.
Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 min.
Stir in corn, cream and sugar. Cook until warmed, about 5 min. Ladle 1 1⁄2 cups soup into a heatproof blender and purée until smooth. Stir purée back into soup.
Stir in cheese, cilantro, lime juice and remaining 1 1⁄4 tsp salt. Season with pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and more cilantro, cheese and chili powder, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
A Quick and Safe Way to Get Kernels Off the Cob
There are plenty of sworn-by tricks for getting kernels off a fresh cob. We think this method is quickest, uses minimal equipment and is safest for your fingers.
- Place a tea towel underneath a large cutting board to keep it securely in place. Lay the cob flat and, using a utility or small chef’s knife, cut off one end of the cob to create a flat surface.
- Hold the cob vertically with the flat end on the board and, working downward, slowly cut the kernels off one side. Cut as close to the cob as possible without cutting into it; ideally, the kernels will come off in a couple connected sections.
- Lay the cob on the cutting board with the flat cut side down, and hold it securely with the fingertips of your non-dominant hand. Using the knife, cut off the kernels from the rest of the cob, flipping it over for each side.
Quick Cut
Do corn cobs have you knife-shy? This kernel stripper is a quick and safe alternative.
OXO Good Grips Corn Prep Peeler, $26, amazon.ca.
More of our best summer corn recipes.
While the products in this piece have been independently chosen, this article contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
This article contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Subscribe to Chatelaine!
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.