Recipe: Zero-Waste Chef’s Kernel-to-Cob Corn Chowder

We know it’s not corn season. But this sustainable chowder recipe is so ingenious, you’ll want to save it for spring, when cobs start appearing in markets. The recipe, from Anne-Marie Bonneau’s new cookbook, “The Zero-Waste Chef: Plant-Forward Recipes and Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen and Planet” (Avery; $25), calls for every part of the corn — the husk, the silks and the cob for broth and the kernels for chowder.

Bonneau, who lives in Sunnyvale, where she pens her Zero-Waste Chef blog, suggests using organic produce whenever you consume anything made from the peels and skins of fruits and vegetables, because non-organic versions usually contain pesticide residue. And, don’t forget: Before you cut and squeeze that lime, zest it. You can freeze the zest and use it later in vinaigrettes, baked goods or anything that needs a little zing.

Kernel-to-Cob Corn Chowder

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 ears corn on the cob, with husks and silks

8 cups water

½ cup raw cashews

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 to 2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, minced, with seeds

2 celery stalks, including leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 small red potatoes, cubed

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), or more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, or more as needed

Chopped fresh cilantro

Red pepper flakes (optional), to serve

DIRECTIONS

Remove the husks and silks from the corn. Scrub the ears well. Use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels.

Place the cobs, husks, and silks in a large pot with 8 cups of water and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down the heat to medium low, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the broth turns golden and fragrant and tastes sweet. Strain through a sieve; you’ll need approximately 5 cups of broth.

Place 1 cup of the hot broth in a blender and add the cashews; let soak for 10 minutes.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, peppers, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the oregano. Add the corn kernels and the potatoes, and stir
until coated.

Add 4 cups of the reserved broth, bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Purée the cashews and broth in the blender until creamy. Add 2 cups of the soup to the blender and purée until smooth, then stir the purée into the pot. Add the lime juice and salt. If
desired, add more broth to thin the chowder if it seems too thick. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining broth.)

Ladle the chowder into bowls and sprinkle with the cilantro and, if desired, the red pepper flakes.