Southwestern Corn Chowder

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (800 g)

450g  potatoes, cut into 1 cm cubes (3 cups)

1 large white/yellow onion, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, chopped 

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

salt to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 

2 medium cloves garlic, crushed

4 cups (10 deciliters) vegetable broth

1 cups milk

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream or Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a medium/large Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, peppers, celery, salt, and spices. Stir to combine. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent. 

2. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, while stirring constantly. Add the corn and potatoes. Add the broth and stir to combine. Drop in the bay leaf. 

3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s not done until the potatoes are fully cooked through. 

4. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Add the butter. Using an immersion blender, blend just a bit, allowing the soup to still be chunky or as smooth as you like. Add the milk and return to the heat to simmer. 

5. Add the cilantro, crème fraiche and lime juice. Stir to combine. Re-season with salt and black pepper, to taste.