I'm not obsessed, really...

Ok, I promise, I'm really going to shut up about the corn soon. I promise, really. I've just been fascinated by the growing process and the somewhat limited but still incredibly tasty results we achieved. So I told you all about corn sex, and how each and every silk needs to hook up with a piece of pollen to make each and every kernel. Well, when only a few rogue silks (wow this is sounding dirty) make their way to the mating grounds, this is what happens. Wacky huh?

So my whole corn experiment yielded only 5 usable ears. From 24 plants. I had ears on every stalk but a lot didn't fertilize, or yielded so few kernels they weren't good for much. But I still agree with my earlier assessment that even one mouthful of truly fresh corn is worth it! So discounting what turned out to be the best ear of the harvest that I ate raw straight from the garden the other day, I had 4 little lovelies to turn into something.

Soup! I love soup. Stew. Chowder. Bisque. Broths. Consummes. Bring it on. In my trip down nostalgia lane with my Cottage Cheese Onion Dill Bread yesterday I started to think about the soup my mom would make every fall to go with that fabulous stuff. Potato Leak. Now, honestly, my mom's soup was just ok. It was kind of just leak, potato, milk and cream, seasoned with salt & pepper. Which is hard to go to wrong with, true. But I knew it could be taken to new levels. So starting with this corn chowder I made last fall, and the fabulous new cream-replacement trick I used in my fettuccine alfredo, I was off.

So before I shut up about the corn, let me just pass along a tip for any of you that are gathering the last of the harvest. This method for removing the kernels from the cob is the prefect first step for freezing. Well, it's actually the only step. You can do this, pop it in a baggie and freeze for soups all winter long. Yum. So moving clockwise from the upper left, I saw this trick on Rachel Ray (I know, gag, whatever, but it's a good tip). Set a small bowl inside a bigger one (make sure the bigger one is kind of shallow) and use it as a secure base for the end of your cob. Slice down all sides to remove the kernels. You'll see there's still parts of the kernel left in the socket at this point, along with a ton of great, tasty, sweet corn milk. So here's what you do - you run the back of your knife along the cob to squeeze out the last bits of goodness. And there you have it, corn ready for freezing, cooking, or simply spooning right into your mouth.

This chowder rocked. Pancetta - rules. Fresh sweet corn - amazing. Potato & leek - foods from the gods. Peppery kick - perfection. And a better-than-cream substitute for cream that brings this sucker in under 300 calories for a huge bowl? It should be a crime. I wouldn't lie to you. Sometimes things are "fine" when you make them healthier. And I'm ok with that. This wasn't fine. This was fantastic, and honestly better than versions of chowders I've made with heavy cream. It's thicker and has an amazing body and tang. It's just a fantastic dish that happens to be good for you. Bonus.

Potato, Leek & Corn Chowder
Mollie's Collection

6oz pancetta (or thick cut bacon) - cut into cubes
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large leaks, sliced (white parts and the ends of the greens only)
3-4 Tbs flour
5 cups (give or take) low sodium fat free broth or water
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, skins on, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup fresh sweet corn (plus the cobs if desired - see instructions below) - frozen will work too
kosher salt
ground white pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
16oz container reduced fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup skim milk

A note on leeks - they are notoriously sandy, so place them in a bowl of cold water and do several water changes after slicing to get out any grit.

In the bottom of a dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the pancetta until all the fat starts to render out. Add in the garlic and leek and cook in the oil and pancetta fat until the leek just starts to get a little bit tender. When the leek is tender and the pancetta is getting crisp, add in the flour, a Tbs at a time, and whisk vigorously to combine it with the fat, making sure you don't get lumps. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about a minute to cook off the raw flour taste. The amount of flour will vary depending on the fat content of your pancetta, but you want a very tight paste to form.

When the flour has had a chance to cook off, add in the broth/water a little at a time, continuing to whisk so you avoid lumps. Once all the broth is in, make sure you scrape up any bits still stuck to the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer. Add in the potatoes and the corn, and return to a simmer. If desired, you can also add in the corn cobs at this step and simmer them with the potatoes to add more sweetness to the broth. Simmer gently for about 25-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove the cobs from the pot and season with the salt, white pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the cottage cheese and milk in a blender and puree until totally smooth. You may need to adjust the amount of milk, but you just want enough to let the mixture blend. You are creating a very thick, creamy mixture that will be almost like soft peak whipped cream when you're done.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cottage cheese mixture. Stir well to combine, heating until it is just hot - don't boil the mixture after the dairy is added. Check for seasonings - I like a nice peppery bite, but that is up to you. Serves 6 dinner sized portions.

This also reheats well - often cream soups can separate when reheating, but this one held up very well.

Nutrition Information
Calories: 300
Fat: 12.4 g
Carbs: 31.1 g
Fiber: 3.0 g
Protein: 18.8 g