Welcome to 2010…and Corn Chowder Recipe

January 1, 2010  •  Local Sources, Menus, Soup, Wine

Welcome to the new year! It doesn’t seem possible that 10 years ago we were ringing in the new millenium and wondering if the world would come to a crash with Y2K concerns. But yes, here we are 10 years later.
I rang in 2010 with my ten-course dinner for 16 of my best friends last night with a menu called Global Cuisine from Local Ingredients. I’ll run down the courses (including wine pairings) with a nod to all of the Colorado farmers, ranchers and producers who supplied product for each course.
Goat Cheese Tartlet with Green Tomato Relish
Nicolas Feuilatte Brut, Champagne, France
Haystack Mountain – goat cheese
My Garden – green tomatoes
Monroe Organic Farms – onions
Red Pepper, Onion and Potato Tortilla with Basil Pesto
Nicolas Feuilatte Brut, Champagne, France
Monroe Organic Farms – eggs, peppers, onions, potatoes
My Garden – basil for pestoCorn Chowder with Bacon and Chives (recipe below)
2007 Domaine Fevre, Chablis, France
Monroe Organic Farms – corn, carrots, celery, onions, bacon
My Garden – thyme
Seared Duck Breast on Asian Slaw with Ginger Honey Dressing
2007 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, France
Dallas Gilbert, Eastern Plains Natural Food Co-op – duck
Monroe Organic Farms – carrots, garlic
Coconut Curried Chicken with Vegetables over Jasmine Rice
2007 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, France
Monroe Organic Farms – carrots, peppers, onions
Dallas Gilbert, Eastern Plains Natural Food Co-op – chicken
Lemon Rosemary Moscato d’Asti Sorbet
My Garden – rosemary
Roasted Garlic Fettuccine with Elk Bolognese Sauce
2005 Da Vinci Chianti Classico, Chianti, Italy
Monroe Organic Farms – carrots, celery, onions, garlic
My Garden – tomatoes
Pappardelle’s Pasta – fettuccine
Tim Mehrtens (one of the dinner guests) – elk
Pork Green Chili Posole with Mini Tortillas
2008 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel, Sonoma, CA
Monroe Organic Farms – pork
Tortilla Mexico of Denver – tortillas
CO Farmer’s Market stand – chiles
My Garden – tomatoes
Lamb Chops on Rosemary Polenta with Roasted Beets
2006 Two Rivers Chateau Deux Fleuves Vineyards Vintner’s Blend, Grand Junction, Colorado
Monroe Organic Farms – beets, garlic, lamb
My Garden – rosemary
Two Rivers Winery – wine
Zucchini Bread Pudding, Crème Anglaise and Chocolate Ganache
2001 Luigi Viola & Figli Moscato di Saracena
Chocolove – chocolate
My Garden – zucchini
Monroe Organic Farms – eggs
Whole Foods Bakery in Aurora – brioche
There really isn’t a better way to spend an evening for me than cooking for friends and lingering over a long dinner with wine and friendly conversation. Although some may think this meal was a ton of work, my friend John aptly pointed out that it’s a labor of love for me. I said this was my swan song and I would quit at 10 courses…but I just may have to try for 11 next year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Corn Chowder with Bacon and Chives
Serves 8

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1/4 cup flour
6 cups vegetable stock, or chicken
2 cups heavy cream, or half and half
2 cups potatoes, diced
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
Crisp bacon crumbles, for garnish
Minced chives, for garnish

Heat butter and olive oil in a large stock pot, then add onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 1 more minute, then add flour and stir together to coat the vegetables. Stir in stock and cream then add potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are barely soft, about 10 minutes. Add corn and cook 5-10 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley. Ladle into bowls and garnish with bacon and chives.

Comments

8 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. pvl says:

    Everything sounds so delicious. I’m sure the party was a smashing success, and I’m going to have to try the corn chowder, thanx so much for the recipe.

    Are you going to share the recipe for Pork Green Chili Posole with Mini Tortillas at some point? Oh, please please please?

    🙂

    • Michele says:

      pvl – the recipe I used for the posole was from the chili cookoff I judged this summer. It was the winning recipe and I made it pretty much to this recipe except I used fresh roasted chiles from a CO farmers’ market instead of canned green chiles. Here’s the post so you can give it a try!

      https://cookingwithmichele.com/2009/10/leyden-street-chili-cook-off/

      For the mini tortillas, I just used fresh tortillas from a baker in town and cut them into smaller rounds with a cookie cutter.

  2. Annette Shope says:

    I am looking forward to wowing my group this weekend with the corn chowder with bacon and chives. The photography is tantalizing and I am sure it will please the tastebuds! Now, what kind of wine should I serve?

  3. Hunter Reed says:

    organic farms could actually save us from carcinogens and toxins:”;

  4. Webbhotell says:

    magnificent points altogether, you just gained a brand new reader. What would you recommend in regards to your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?

  5. Nichole Baghdasarian says:

    When i am given a chance to choose the foods i eat, i always choose the ones that comes from Organic Farms since they are safer than pesticide laden foods.

  6. Cherly Zand says:

    magine a world where organic farming is the leading form of agriculture. A world where everyone-from all income levels and geographic locations-has access to food grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers that have been linked to myriad diseases and disorders. A world where instead of just a few agribusinesses getting rich off selling chemicals and chemically grown food, farmers thrive economically while they also help improve the health of our fragile ecosystem. Where the need for millions of pounds of toxins is eliminated keeping them from entering our water, air and soil. A world where agriculture and nature exist in harmony providing healthier food for everyone.

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