CORN AND VEGETABLE CHOWDER

I usually don't make a lot of soups using milk but there are some soups where including milk at the last stage of cooking gives it a smooth finish.   I made this recipe for the first time this past weekend and I have been having it for lunches.   I will definitely make this recipe again.  I like the texture of the soup, the flavours and also find it filling.  This is a kind of recipe that you could mix and match vegetables depending on what you had in your fridge.   For example, I used sweet potato but you could use white potato instead.   I used evaporated skim milk instead of regular skim or soya milk.   I didn't chop up the frozen tomatoes, they broke up during the cooking process.  Enjoy!

CORN AND VEGETABLE CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive or canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

2 tbsp flour

6 -7 cups of bouillon

1 large sweet potato, chopped

4 cups of frozen niblets corn

1 ½ cups frozen peas

3-4 frozen or fresh tomatoes

1 bay leaf

½ tsp dried basil or thyme

1 ½ cups milk or evaporated milk

salt and pepper to taste

3-4 tsp fresh dill (if available) or 1/2 tsp dry

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Heat the oil in a large stock pot and sauté the onions, carrots and celery on medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes.   If the vegetables are sticking add a little bit of water.  Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute.

2.   Add the bouillon liquid, sweet potato, corn, peas, tomatoes, bay leaf and basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about half an hour or so until the vegetables are tender.

3.   Remove about 3 cups of vegetables from the pot and coarsely puree in a blender.  Return the puree to the soup pot.  Another option is to use a hand held blender right in the soup pot and puree directly. 

4.   Add the  milk and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Add the fresh dill.

Adapted from the Meal Lean i Yumm cookbook