Mushroom and Corn Chowder

Hello all!! See I told you to stay tuned...

So I made a Mushroom and Corn Chowder on Sunday because it was a nasty day. I came up with the idea for this recipe because I use to love chicken mushroom chowder when my family would have soup nights for dinner. And I always wanted to try a corn chowder, so I put the two together! I was nervous at first because I was not sure how the taste was going to be, but my momma was like, "You will never know if you don't try it." So I listened and it turned out to be really yummy. The earthiness of the mushrooms with the sweet corn was a strange yet satisfying combination. You know how most cream based soups leave you feeling all heavy and weighed down, well I combat that feeling by using only a little "cream," I used soy milk, and made a bechamel to thicken the soup.

So I hope you enjoy it as much as my momma and I did!

Mushroom and Corn Chowder

1 pt baby bella mushrooms, sliced (first in half, then thinly slice each half)

2 ears corn, kernels removed

1 large Idaho potato, cut in 1/4 inch cubes

2 bay leaves

1/2 onion, fine dice

1 cup vegetable broth

salt and pepper (i used 1/4 teaspoon salt and like 12 grinds of my pepper grinder so about 1/4 teaspoon)

2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, light

1 teaspoon flour

1/4 cup water

1 cup soy milk, unsweetened plain

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (i used freshly grated)

1. Heat a dutch oven or your favorite soup pot. Add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot add the onion and let it cook until it becomes translucent about 3-5 minutes. 

2. Add in the mushrooms and saute until they start to give off their liquid, about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the bay leaves, potatoes, and corn, cook for 5 minutes or so. Then add in the broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium high. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.

4. In a small sauce pot heat the 1 teaspoon of oil. Add in the flour and whisk so all of the flour is absorbed by the oil. Cook for 3 minutes or until it smells a little nutty. Add in the water and whisk so a thick paste forms. Slowly add in the soy milk, whisking the entire time to incorporate the milk. Stir in the nutmeg and let the sauce come to a simmer to thicken. 

5. Once the sauce is thick, add it into the soup and let it cook for another 10 minutes to thicken and to let all of the flavors come together.

6. Serve it up! Make sure you remove the bay leaves before eating. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley. Feel free to add in other herbs you like. Chives would be good, I just like parsley on anything. Enjoy!