Curried Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk

Cathy Owens made this delicious soup for our January Relief Society meeting.  A wonderful way to warm up a cold evening. 

Curried Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk

1 big yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

¼ t. fresh or 1/8 t. dried thyme

2 T. unsalted butter

3 ½ cups frozen or canned corn, or 4 ears, shucked and kernels cut off cob

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 t. sugar

2 T. unsalted butter, clarified, or ghee

1 T. Madras curry powder

¼ cup canned coconut milk

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1 T. salt

A few turns of freshly ground black pepper

1. Saute the onion, garlic, and thyme in 2 T. butter (not clarified) in a large soup pot over high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the onions and garlic from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  When the onion has begun to reduce in volume, in 5-10 minutes, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for about 10-15 more minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent.
2. Add the corn, stock, and sugar, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, and let the stock simmer for 30 minutes.
3. In a separate sauté pan, warm the clarified butter over medium heat.  Add the curry powder, and cook until the curry becomes fragrant, 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove the soup from the heat to puree.  If you’re using an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in the pot.  Otherwise, wait a few minutes, until the soup cools.
5. If you don’t have an immersion blender, scoop up half the soup with a ladle or measuring cup with a handle, pour it into the bowl of a food processor (or a blender) fitted with a metal blade, and blend until the soup is smooth.  Return the pureed soup to the soup pot.
6. Return the pot to the stove over medium heat, and stir in the curry butter.  To get all the curry butter out of the pan, use a rubber spatula to scrape it down, then pour a little bit of the soup into the pan, swish it around, and dump it back into the soup pot.  Stir in the coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and pepper into the soup pot, and cook for another 15 minutes, until the flavors come together.  Serve warm with freshly ground black pepper.