More cold weather coming your way?

You probably don’t have windows that look like this one, but it may be cold where you are. Here’s something I made during the last pre-diet cold snap. I remembered it as a cold weather specialty when I was growing up in Maine, but I hadn’t made it here because you cannot buy creamed corn in Italy. So I made some, and it wasn’t even difficult.

Corn Chowder expatriate style

Serves 2-3

2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons of butter
salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon)
1 can of corn niblets
3/4 liter milk
butter for serving
freshly ground pepper

You will need to remove half the corn before using your stick blender to crush the rest. Then do the other half.

Heat the butter in a heavy soup pan, then sauté the onions until transparent. Add the potatoes, some salt and water to cover. Simmer until both the onions and the potatoes are done. Add the crunched up corn, including the small amount of juice that was in the can. Simmer a few minutes. Add the milk and heat. Taste and correct for salt.

Ladle soup into bowls, then top with a pat of butter and a grind of pepper. Eat smoking hot.

Those of you who live in places where creamed corn exists, just use that and your soup will taste even cornier, which in this case is a good thing.