Butternut-Corn Chowder

by Carol Simontacchi

If you are like most of my students trying to avoid junk foods, you struggle through the first few days and weeks of learning to live without your favorite junk food. But when your palate is cleansed you began to enjoy the flavors and aromas of real food. You couldn’t be tempted to indulge in pseudo-foods again. Here is another delicious recipe to tickle your taste buds and make you grateful for REAL food!

We gleaned and adapted this recipe from one of our favorite cooking magazines, Bon Appetit.

Butternut-Corn Chowder

4 ounces thin-sliced pancetta (or bacon), chopped
Splash of olive oil, for sautéing
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
4 ½ cups low salt, low fat, no MSG chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies
1 16-ounce bag frozen corn (unthawed)
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

Cook pancetta in heavy large saucepan in olive oil over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Add onion; sauté until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add squash, broth, and chilies; simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Mix in corn; simmer until tender, about 8 minutes.

Transfer soup in small batches to blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls to serve. Sprinkle with sage and pancetta, and serve immediately.

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