Meet corn, the other base for chowder

What comes to mind when you hear the word chowder? The answer probably depends on where you come from.

For New Englanders, the word conjures up images of thick, creamy soup laden with clams or codfish and bits of bacon and potatoes. Ask a New Yorker, though, and you’ll hear it described as red and tomatoey, no fish, just clams.

Fact is, chowder means different things to different people. But they all agree on one thing: They love it.

Chowder is one of the United States’ oldest old culinary staples, so treasured that when American pioneers pulled up stakes and headed west, they took their chowder recipes with them.

Because there was no seafood on the plains and prairies, folks made do with what they grew, which is why in America’s heartland, the word chowder gets people thinking about milky-white broth crammed with kernels of corn cut fresh from the cob.

Now that it’s corn season, we would do well to fix up some chowder the way they make it in the Midwest. We’ll also show you how to give the basic old-fashioned corn chowder recipe some creative changes and additions.

Look for corn with tight husks that feel cool and moist. The silky tops should be yellow. Peel the husk down slightly to look at the kernels, which should be firm and fairly regular. Medium-size kernels taste best; the tiny ones are too delicate for soup. Large ones may have a woody texture.

The corn will stay fresher if you leave it in the husk until just before you cook it.

Use a sharp knife to strip the kernels off the cob (place the cob flat side down on a cutting board and scrape from the top down). But don’t throw away the cobs — use them to make a quick but rich tasting corn stock for the soup. If you don’t want to bother, substitute vegetable, fish or chicken stock or clam juice for the water.

Basic corn chowder is a simple mixture of corn, potatoes, onions and liquid, typically stock and milk. It’s easy to make and you can vary the flavor with small additions such as chopped parsley or other herbs, or by including more vegetables such as peas, carrots, tomatoes, celery, fennel or bell peppers.

If you like a smoky-tasting chowder, substitute chopped bacon for the olive oil and butter in the basic recipe. Or grill the corn before you strip the kernels off.

Adding fish, shellfish, meat or poultry changes corn chowder from light fare to a substantial meal. If you try one of these suggestions, consider alternative seasonings: fresh tarragon when making lobster- or crab-corn chowder, chives for salmon-corn chowder.

Our intermediate recipe calls for fresh, feathery dill, which partners well with the sweet pink shrimp and the corn.

You can change corn chowder’s naturally mild manner if you include bold or unusual spices or other ingredients. Add some chopped cilantro, grated fresh ginger or a tiny smattering of fresh horseradish. Or add chipotle powder or chili peppers or powder.

See how corn chowder’s mellow personality turns into something bold and attention-getting.

Our recipe is a colorful soup that begins as a basic corn chowder, but includes chicken, tomatoes, fresh ginger and cilantro. We’ve also added curry powder — you can use either mild or hot — and to tame the soup a bit, we’ve substituted some coconut milk for some of the basic recipe’s plain, whole milk.

Notice that the recipe gives 2-3 minutes cooking time for the corn kernels. Fresh corn shouldn’t take more than that, but if the kernels are very large or you’ve stored the corn for a few days, give the soup an extra minute or two.

Basic corn chowder

Prepare chowder made with bacon but use dill instead of thyme. Before adding onion, cook shrimp in bacon fat over moderate heat 3-4 minutes, or until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside. When you add the onion, add the celery and carrots. Proceed with the recipe. Return the shrimp to the pan 5 minutes before the soup is done.