Mexican Corn Chowder

Thanks to Eating, Etc. again for turning me onto a great recipe.  This is a Mexican-inspired corn chowder, and the flavors all together are great.  I used chipotle chili powder for the first time and liked it- although it is spicy!  I'm a spice wimp, though.  I doubled this recipe for our fam but didn't increase the chili powder, onion, all of the cumin, or the salt.  I didn't have fresh corn on the cob on hand, so I just used frozen.  This thickened up more once I took it off the stove, so dont' worry if it isn't super thick right away.  Eating, Etc. got this from Closet Cooking, who got it from another blog.  This one has been around, and it's easy to see why!  ;)  (I'm SUCH a cheese ball). 

Mexican Corn Chowder

adapted from Eating, Etc.

6-8 slices bacon, cooked & broken into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped
1 fresh red or green jalapeno pepper, chopped (I left this out)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 potatoes, peeled & diced
4 Tbs. corn meal
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cup skim or 1% milk
1 tsp dried oregano
2-4 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob & 1 cob reserved OR
3 cups frozen corn
2 handfuls cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
shredded colby-jack cheese, for garnish, optional

1) Cook the bacon in a large pot; remove from pot and set aside.

2) In the bacon grease, sauté onions, celery, jalapeno, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper until onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes.

3) Add the potato and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Sprinkle the corn meal over onion-potato mixture.

5) Add the broth, milk, oregano, corn kernels, and corn cob.

6) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

7) Remove from heat and stir in the bacon & cilantro and remove the cob.

8) Serve immediately.

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