Location:
My hopelessly messy apartment (I should really hire a housekeeper for February)
Attendees:
Adam, Ashley, Joshua, me
Menu:
Lacinato kale and avocado salad
Curried succotash chowder
Bread and wine supplied by Adam (thanks!)
Entertainment:
Ashley was on a roll tonight, you guys. She was doing this announcer voice and imagining a world in which one could improve bad movies and television shows (e.g. Due Date, Perfect Couples (more like perfect CRAPPLES)) by adding narration in said announcer voice. You probably had to be there, but it was uhhhhhilarious.
Also: The inception of the marketing strategy for our new board game for insipid couples: Crapples 2 Crapples. A GOLD mine, to be sure.
The Soup:
Okay, I thought I liked the sweet potato chowder I made last week, but that seems laughable after having this one. This soup combines some of my favorite things (corn, edamame, curry (it's no wonder my dad sometimes called me "curry powder")), is a snap to put together, and makes for one seriously satisfying bowl.
Hearty and heartwarming, this soup manages to taste familiar and new at the same time. It definitely tastes like succotash, but with an overlay of unexpected flavor from the spices. It isn't spicy--the curry is rather subtle (you can add more to taste if you'd prefer it more pronounced). No qualms recommending this one, y'all, especially if you're looking for a soup that's a meal in and of itself.
Another thing I like about this chowder: It's not as heavy as a lot of recipes, but it's majorly creamy due to the pureed vegetables. I used 2% milk, but I bet you could go down to skim if you'd rather--those lovely, velvety Yukon Golds work overtime in the lusciousness department.
Thanks to Lauren for finding this recipe for me; I'll try to bring some in to work for you if I don't finish it off tonight. (It's somehow extra-weird when soup, of all things, is calling to you from the refrigerator in the middle of the night.)
Curried Succotash Chowder
adapted from Charlotte Shearin's recipe as seen on npr.org
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 cups frozen corn, defrosted
2 teaspoons ground curry
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 cup fresh baby lima beans
1 cup edamame
4 cups milk (I used 2%)
Chopped chives for garnish
Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover by 1 inch. Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain them in a colander set in the sink and set aside.
Steam or boil the baby lima beans until tender (10 to 12 minutes), then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot placed over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, salt and herbs. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the corn and curry powder and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the cooked potatoes and stir gently to combine.
Using an immersion blender, puree about 1/4 of the soup (or transfer 1/4 to a blender and puree until smooth, then return to pot). Stir in lima beans, edamame and milk. Cook until the beans are tender and the chowder is heated through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and additional salt, if you like.
Garnish with chopped chives.
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