Mexican Roasted Corn Chowder

Cooking time 45 min
Makes 12 Serving

Ingredients:
To make white sauce::
2 table spoon of butter, 2 tablespoon of AP flour, ¼ tsp of salt, 1 cup of milk.

For soup:
2-3 cobs of corn
2 table spoon olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 cup finely chopped Onions
1/2 cup green onions diced
4 cloves Minced garlic
1" chopped ginger
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
1 bag of frozen corn (16 oz)
1 can of cream style corn
½ cup of chopped pickled Jalapenos
2 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds powder
1-1/2 cups (12 fluid-ounce can) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk) (you can use regular milk if desired)
2 table spoon Instant Mashed Potato Flakes (optional, can use fresh potato or not)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup of cream (optional)

Method:
White sauce:
• You can make white sauce ahead of time as follows:
• In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat.
• Blend 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.
• Slowly add 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.
For the soup:
• Roast the corn cobs on open flame evenly.
• When cold take all the corn kernels out with a knife
• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, add bay leave followed by onions, red peppers ginger and garlic.
• Cook and stir until light brown
• Add roasted kernels, cook until tender
• Add broth, corn, chilies, cumin powder and seasoning mix.
• Bring it to boil.
• Reduce heat, simmer for 10 min.
• Add potato flakes slowly.
• Stir in evaporated milk and white sauce simmer 5 min longer.
• Add both Cheese, stirring until melted and soup is thickened.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add cream.


Recipe by Surekha.


Photographs sources:
Roasted corn photo by Jennie Faber
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034355962@N01/25039994/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
Photo of corn by postbear
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91387326@N00/4949273659/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
Corn soup photo by DeathByBokeh sriram bala
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44521275@N00/299822940/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en