I was away for a few days visiting my family in Ontario and when I returned home, the cupboards were bare. I did have enough to scrape together soup for two, which seems kind of ridiculous when written down. I mean, soup for 2? Just two??? Soup is usually made in large batches, frozen into containers or eaten for days. But I only had halves and bits and pieces of fresh vegetables and the teeniest-tiniest can of coconut milk…and I was hungry, dammit! So this the result. Obviously, I don’t have a photo of the chowder. It was dark and we were hungry, so the perfect photo-op didn’t exist. Instead, I decided to illustrate my meal instead. It’s cute and it provided the perfect outlet to practice my procrastination.
Did I mention that it was oh-so-delicious? Even my soup-challenged husband said that it was tasty. Chowder is usually made with dairy or soy milk, but all I had was that cute can of coconut milk and it worked wonderfully. It lent the dish a slightly more exotic flare than the usual potato corn soup. You are welcome to make this so that you have enough to keep you company for days, but for me, the fact that there was only enough for two made the meal extra special.
potato coconut corn chowder
1 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 t cumin (heaping)
1 vegetable bullion cube
3 c water (or enough to cover vegetables)
1 tiny (5.6 oz) can of coconut milk
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/2 c frozen corn
5 leaves fresh basil
freshly ground pepper & salt to tasteIn a medium sized pot, heat oil and add in diced onion, red pepper, celery and garlic. Saute until soft and stir in the cumin. Add in potatoes, bullion cube and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are done, about 15 minutes. Add in coconut milk and rosemary and use a potato masher to mash down the potatoes and vegetables. Add in corn and fresh basil and grind in some pepper and add salt to taste (if necessary). Serve in 2 large bowls.
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way to go, this soup looks great! and your illustration is adorable.
screw the soup, i’ll take the illustration. too cute.
how great are the mini cans of coconut milk? i keep ’em around all the time.
I have the same issue, when I return from a trip – my pantry and refrigerator are always bare!
Love your soup recipe!! I just posted about a treat with coconut :0)
Oh! I’m so glad you’re back! Not to be SUPER awkward or anything. I’m Regina. I’m totally new with this whole blogging thing (I only just started my own cooking blog) but I’ve been surfing around and yours is so aesthetically pleasing and what lovely recipes! I can’t wait to see more of them!!
Regina
(reginarae.wordpress.com)
I really love your food drawings!! You should post more here. =) And coconut milk in soup (or anything) sounds delicious!
I enjoy it when there is only enough for two as well.Glad you had a nice visit in Ontario as well…my entire family live there. I am the only British Colimbian:D
I make soup for two all the time…ususally with ingredients scavenged from my cupboard…. this sounds really delicious…I LOVE the idea of making a chowder with coconut milk…. very clever. Imagine all the possibilities…
That soup sounds delicious!!
Super cute drawings! I have a blue bowl just like the one in your illustration LOL! The soup sounds delicious. I love coconut flavoured-anything 🙂
What!?!?!?!? I have all the ingredients for this in my cupboard right now. Yeah!
Hmmmm…I love me some corn chowder, exotic or otherwise! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your illustration, it’s the cutest! I’m tempted to say throw your camera away and start illustrating all your recipes, it’s such a nice medium!
I love when people find creative ways to try new levels of taste. Obviously you’ve done just that here. Love this.
hag, even when i lived by myself, i always made soup for a crowd. i guess it was just so easy to duplicate!
thanks tree 🙂
haha, thanks for the vote of confidence on my illustration skillz, michelle. yeah, those coconut milk cans are the best.
thanks veggie girl, at least i know i’m not the only one with bare cupboards!
well, get to it bopper! enjoy, liv moe.
thanks for the nice words about my site, regina! you’re making me blush 🙂
thanks, eatme! i think i will post more illustrations when i get the chance.
bellini, there seem to be a lot of us ex-pats in BC! i’m also the only bc-er in my family too.
ttfn300, it was!
thanks, bijoux. i’m with you on the coconut….mmmm!
haha, mevrouw, maybe i just will ;)!!
thanks dawn!
This sounds delicious!
I look forward to trying it in my own kitchen!!
Yum Yum! That sounds like a good hearty soup.
i just made this, so delicious and easy! i use your recipes all the time, love them!!
thanks spare ribbon, it hit the spot!
april, let me know if you do.
edgecakes, so glad you made (and loved) the soup! thanks for enjoying my recipes 🙂
Yum! I’m going to try that. I also love that you drew the ingredients for this one. So cute!
sooo totally cute (and i think drawings are MUCH better than pictures anyway 🙂 )
If I could illustrate like that – I would never take a picture! How cute!
What a fabulous illustration. It totally caught my attention on tastespotting. Brilliant idea!
thanks carol, i think it’s pretty cute too 🙂
sarah, good to know! maybe i should retire my camera!
rindy, guess i’m getting lots of votes for drawing out my food rather than photographing it!
thanks angela, i’m definitely going to illustrate a little bit more.
Must find miniature coconut milk. Genius!
I love corn chowder and coconut…totally making this. Thanks!
enjoy, julia, it’s a good one!
I love it when thrown-together meals made of whatever you have in the house end up perfect. This one sounds delicious.
Mmmm, we’re making this tonight. I just double-checked your ‘list’ and it’s so perfect for visual people (like me). Thank you!