Corn chowder. You've seen it before. In fact, you've seen it before on Bowl Dust, but we'll call this the reprise. My recipe for Chipotle Corn Chowder was the first I put on this thing though, at the time, I had been so shortsighted as to not photograph what turned out to be a pretty delicious soup. This time, I toned down the spice levels slightly, swapped soy for a more neutral almond milk, and messed with the simmering times a tad. The result? A very simple and classic corn chowder that, suffice it to say, will never go out of style.

Classic Corn Chowder

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium red potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cups frozen or fresh yellow corn kernels
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed
⅛ tsp chili powder
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 cup milk or almond milk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt, pepper, and chili powder and cook until translucent. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds more. Add vegetable stock and water, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until slightly reduced.

Add milk, potatoes, corn, and thyme and bring back to a simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes more, uncovered, until potatoes are tender.

Once potatoes are sufficiently soft, remove a cup of them, smash with a fork until smooth, then add back to the saucepan. Repeat with a second cup of potatoes.

Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread, or garlic croutons (recipe to follow).

Garlic Croutons

1 crusty italian loaf
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
¼ tsp dried or fresh herbs
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp salt

Move rack to the top third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Cut bread into 1.5-inch chunks and toss in bowl with olive oil. Add salt and spices and mix.

Spread bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden brown.