Summer Corn Chowder

In the Pantry Challenge video series, Lauren Braun Costello, a chef, author and food stylist, shows busy moms how to make tasty, healthy meals using ingredients they already have in their pantries, solving their unique cooking challenges.

In this video, Lauren shows Silu N., a busy mother of two, how to make a dairy-free meal that still tastes deliciously creamy, to satisfy her and her daughters' love of cheese, while minding her husband's dairy aversion.

To replicate a creamy taste and texture of dairy, Lauren uses coconut milk, which Silu had on-hand for Thai cooking. Ginger, garlic, lemongrass and lime zest give the chowder its aromatic base, and onions and potatoes offer a chunky texture and flavors that complement the soup's star: corn. Lauren first heats olive oil in a deep pot, sautées the onions until they become translucent and soft, and then adds the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and lime zest. After adding chicken stock and potatoes, she brings the mixture to a boil over high heat. (Though vegetable stock will work, as well, Lauren cautions against using a stock with too many carrots, which will make the soup overly sweet.) Once the potatoes are fork-tender, the coconut milk is added, followed five minutes later by the corn kernels, which will only cook briefly. Though Lauren encourages using fresh corn, she says that frozen corn will work as well, if you aren't able to find fresh ears.

Get the Recipe for Summer Corn Chowder.