Food Made Fresh: Bisque: Potatoes, green chile and the sweet, crunchy pop of corn
Rich, creamy soups are the ideal meal during the cold winter months. They have a way of warming us, inside and out. I also love the soothing sound of soup bubbling on the stove.
A cream-based soup can be a very heavy meal, and high in calories, fat, and cholesterol. What if I told you, a version of cream-based soups can be made with a healthy alternative and taste just as rich, creamy, and satisfying as the traditional method?
It's true, many professional chefs are opting for this method and achieving great results. I use an unsweetened plant-based milk, but it's the addition of cashews that makes it so fantastic. When raw cashews are blended with a liquid, it creates a smooth white sauce. The addition also brings nutritional value with it.
This particular soup gets an added silkiness from the blended potatoes. If you choose to leave half of the potatoes in cubes to added to the blended mixture, that is a good option, as well.
A bisque-type soup often contains seafood, but his southwest version will satisfy the green chile lover in you. Potatoes and green chile are one of my family’s favorite combinations. And corn adds a sweet, crunchy pop in each bite.
Enjoy food made fresh!
Green Chile and Corn Potato Bisque
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 cup soy milk, or other unsweetened milk
2 cups frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup roasted, diced green chile
Placed cubes of potato into a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 15 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid. Drain off remaining water. Place potatoes into a blender.
Add cashews, garlic, salt, and the 2 cups of reserved cooking liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Place onion into the dry saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until translucent. Add blended potato mixture and stir. Whisk in soy milk until smooth. Stir in corn and green chile. Cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.
ANGELINA LARUE is a food writer, recipe developer and author of “The Whole Enchilada Fresh and Nutritious Southwestern Cuisine.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Food Made Fresh: Bisque: Potatoes, green chile and the sweet, crunchy pop of corn
