Green Chile Corn Chowder

For those who wonder if there is a limit to what New Mexicans will pair with chile. No, there is not. There’s green chile butter, green chile brittle, red chile wine, red chile chocolate, green chile fettucine with blackened chicken, green chile cheese bread, red chile hot chocolate, red chile potato chips, green chile chicken soup…you get the idea. We are downright “Forrest Gump” about the palatable potential of green chile.

Three Sisters Agricultural Tradition

In addition to the regional preoccupation with chile, the “three sisters” of Native American agricultural tradition — corn, beans, and squash, continue to play a central role in the day-to-day diet of New Mexicans. These three vegetables were crucial to emerging agrarian societies throughout North America. Not only did these crops provide reliable sources of nutrition, the planting technique reflects agricultural evolution. It was one of the earliest forms of companion planting, which serves as the basis for inter-cropping systems currently used worldwide to increase crop yields.

Each of the “three sisters” supports and benefits the others. Corn grows well in rows, but it takes a lot of space and only produces once per year. Beans require a support system and they produce well when they have something to climb. As the corn grows, beans wind around the stalks. There is enough room between the rows of corn to plant squash. The large leaves of the squash plant create a dome tent of shade, inhibiting weed growth naturally. This also reduces soil temperature and slows the rate of water evaporation. Both squash and corn require soil with high nitrogen content to thrive. Beans convert the sun’s energy into nitrogen-filled nodules that grow on the roots of the plant, which essentially provides Miracle Grow to the other two “sisters”.

The soup recipe below draws upon two of the three sisters, corn and squash, with a generous addition of New Mexico’s favorite fruit….green chile. Adding squash to this recipe takes it in a different direction and it is completely optional. The soup is delicious as a simple corn chowder; however, I am always looking for ways to use more zucchini due to the overwhelming supply during the summer months.

Green Chile Corn Chowder

Serves 4

Green Chile Corn Chowder Ingredients

• 2 ¼ Cup potatoes, cubed
• 1 Cup chopped zucchini (optional)
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 15 oz. can of corn, drained
• 8 ounces of roasted, chopped green chile
• 2 ½ Cups of water
• 2/3 Cup milk or ½ & ½
• ¼ Teaspoon liquid smoke
• ¼ Teaspoon white pepper
• 1 Tablespoon chicken base
• ½ Teaspoon chopped parsley

Mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with ¼ cup of warm water. Add to soup to thicken to your preferred consistency.

More Options: Top with shredded cheese. Sharp cheeses are particularly good. Fried corn tortilla chips are also delicious.

Directions

1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add water, milk (or ½ & ½, almond milk, etc.), liquid smoke, white pepper, parsley, chicken base, green chile and potatoes. When the potatoes start becoming tender, add the corn and zucchini.
2. Add 1/3 of the corn starch mixture and stir well. Stir in another 1/3 once you notice the soup thickening a little. The remaining corn starch can be added as needed to achieve desired consistency. You might not want to use all of it.
3. Cook at low heat until the potatoes and zucchini are tender. It can be eaten immediately, but the chile infuses the soup with more flavor if you have time to refrigerate it overnight.

Please leave your recipe modifications, or any questions that you may have, in the comments.

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