The recipe, below, is very loosely adapted from one that I found while perusing my friend, Lisa Fain’s website, the Homesick Texan, in an effort to recreate a warm bowl of my most favorite chowder in the world (from an old restaurant in my hometown of El Paso, Texas).

Chunks of velvety potato are enveloped by a deceitfully creamy base that is kissed with green chile, cilantro, onions and garlic, plus a kick of jalapeno. Forgoing the call to use half-and-half, I made my version with whole milk in an effort to cut calories without nixing that rich and buttery texture.

I hope you’ll enjoy this delightful bowl of comfort as much as me! Buen provecho, y’all!

Ingredients

(makes 4 12-ounce servings)

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 1 cup sweet white onion, chopped

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp. pickled jalapenos, minced (if you’re sensitive to heat, reduce to 1 tablespoon and/or just leave out altogether)

• 8 ounces chopped green chiles (2 4-ounce cans)

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

• 1 pound of russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (1 pound is apprx. 2 medium-sized potatoes)

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

• 1 1/4 cup whole milk

• Salt to taste

Topping (optional)

• Shredded cheddar cheese

• Tortilla chips

• Chile powder

• Cilantro sprigs

Method

1. In a large pot (3 quarts), add butter and melt.

2. Add the onion, salt and pepper.  Saute until onions are translucent and starting to brown (apprx. 7-10 minutes). You may reference the photo, below, for color comparison.

3. Add garlic and saute for one minute.  

4. To the pot, add the jalapenos, green chiles, potatoes, stock, cilantro, and cumin. 

5. Bring to a boil, and then simmer with lid, for 30 minutes.  The potatoes should be tender by now.  Remove from heat and add milk. Stir ingredients together, and taste. Add salt, to taste.

6. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it's relatively smooth.  You can leave a couple of chunks, as that makes it appear more rustic. Don’t have an immersion blender? Scoop out 2 cups’ worth of soup and puree in your blender. Add the pureed soup back to the pot.

7. Portion bowls of soup and optionally top with a light dusting of chile powder, a spring of cilantro, grated cheese, and a handful of bite-sized tortilla chips.

…

Until we eat again,

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle