As someone who has lived on the East Coast of the United States, close enough to New England, I don't eat enough chowder! On restaurant menus, I always thought it wasn't as exciting enough option to kick off a 3-course menu comparatively speaking.

I had some leftover corn and sweet potatoes in the freezer and decided to make some chowder (basically a soup or stew with some potatoes, corn, and cream or milk thickened with a roux or crackers).

I didn't add any clams or other type of seafood as traditionally used, but I did have some clam juice handy and a few strips of bacon in the fridge to help enhance the flavour of the vegetables.

Dear plant-based eaters, you don't need bacon or clam juice, butter and the vegetable broth is enough!

Ingredients

1 cup sweet corn kernels

1 cup sweet potato, chopped

1 cup clam juice

1 teaspoon butter (use 1 tablespoon if you don't use bacon)

2 strips of bacon, chopped

1 vegetable bouillon

2 cups water

3/4 can coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

4 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, finely chopped

Instructions

Cook the bacon until it starts to get crisp around the edges and the oil seeps out, for about 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, saute for about 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften.

Add the seasoning and the vegetable bouillon, crush and mix until everything is well incorporated and your pot is flagrant, for about another 2 minutes.

Add the carrots and flour, cook for about 2 additional minutes.

Add the water, corn, sweet potato and clam juice, stirring to make sure there are no lumps or dry bits of flour. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add additional broth or water if you need it.

Add the coconut milk gradually, stirring to thicken the soup. Let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. 

Enough for 4, serve with warm bread or crackers!