Chipotle Corn and Potato Soup

Fresh sweet corn and new potatoes...yum. I put together this simple soup to highlight the flavors of those two ingredients. The corn came from Schmidt's Farm and the potatoes came from Shoestring Farm. The chives came from my garden. If you open a can of chipotles to make this, the remainder will keep for months in a sealed container in the fridge. You could also take this in a slightly different direction by substituting fresh hot peppers for the chipotles and adding chopped fresh cilantro at the last minute (both of which are currently in season!).

Olive oil to saute
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs new potatoes, cubed (leave skins on)
8-10 ears corn, shucked
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce, seeded and finely minced (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Snipped chives for garnish (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the potatoes. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer while you prepare the corn.

Using a large, sharp knife, remove the corn kernels from the cobs. I find the easiest (and least messy) way to do this is to break the ears in half first, then cut off the kernels over a plate or shallow bowl. Be sure to scrape the cobs well to get all the corn-y goodness.

Add the corn and chipotle(s) to the pot with the potatoes. Add additional water until you have a thick soup. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot, topped if desired with a sprinkling of fresh chives.

Serves 6-8 as a main course.