Chipotle Chile Corn Chowder

* I bought chipotle chili powder at my grocery store because they didn’t have ancho chili powder. If you can find ancho chili powder use that!

Start by roasting your corn over a gas range. You could also use a barbeque grill or your broiler to do this. We aren’t looking to cook the corn, just to char it slightly. I just used tongs to move the ear of corn around the gas burner to get it evenly charred. If you’re really lazy or scared of fire, you can skip this step, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Once all your corn is done, slice the kernels off of the cob and set the kernels and the cobs aside. Do not throw away the cobs!

In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter until bubbly. Add the diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chilies, juice and all, and give it a good stir. Allow it to cook for another 2 minutes or until the juice from the chilies has evaporated. Add the chipotle chili powder and stir until combined. Add in the potato, chicken broth, corn (cobs only), and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and allow the soup to simmer for 2 hours.

While your soup is simmering, in a shallow pan, add about half an inch of canola oil and heat over medium high heat. Test the oil by dipping the edge of one of the tortilla strips in, if it sizzles and bubbles, it is ready. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown, remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Set aside.

When the soup has simmered for 2 hours, remove the corn cobs and discard them. Grab a potato masher or wooden spoon and “smush” the potatoes slightly, there may be some small chunks of potato but it should be mostly broken down into the soup. Add the cream and corn, stir well, and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Serve the soup in big bowls, topped with a sprinkle of the aged cheddar, followed by a dollop of sour cream and then top with a few tortilla strips.