Zucchini Corn Chowder

OK, it is a little hot for soup these days, but I was super-excited to develop a chowder recipe that seemed to really make great use of the veggies coming in from the garden right now.

Zucchini Corn Chowder


1 T. organic butter
1 med. onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 med. zucchini, shredded
1 pint canned corn, drained (or equivalent off the cob)
Approx. 1 cup diced potatoes
1 T. dried sage, or to taste
1 c. stock
12 oz. evaporated milk or half and half

In a 3 quart pan, melt butter and saute onion and garlic until soft.  Add stock, corn, and potatoes, and cook until potatoes are soft.  Add zucchini and sage and cook until zucchini looks integrated into soup.

Add evaporated milk or half and half and cook until hot; the potatoes will thicken things up a bit.  Serve with cracked black pepper on top to taste.

We served ours with a side of shredded carrots.  Fresh-baked bread would have been great here too! Makes four servings.

Fast:  This was quick enough from fresh ingredients, but I think the real speed advantage will be later on.  I plan to pressure can all of the ingredients except the milk together in pint jars and label them with a note that they are "soup base."  The addition of milk will make chowder, and extra stock will make a great noodle soup broth or the beginnings of cheesy corn soup.

Cheap:  Everything here came from my garden or pantry except the milk and butter.  I am still using up canned corn from last season, hence the "canned corn" notation.  Feel free to add more potatoes if your garden is producing well and you've brought in a good handful that you want to use -- it will only thicken the soup base further.

Good:  Although a little warm for July, I am really pleased with this recipe.