Blanchard's Corn Chowder

This is a great corn chowder recipe from at blanchard's table.Melinda and Robert Blanchard spend half the year at their restaurant on the Caribbean island of Anguilla and the rest of the year at their home in Vermont. Sounds like a sweet life and this is a sweet cookbook, filled with easy recipes full of bold flavors. Their chowder is lighter than the traditional cream and potato version, but it still has plenty of flavor.

 BLANCHARD'S CORN CHOWDER

(serves 6)

1. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
3. 5 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4. 5 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
5. 6 cups fresh corn kernels (about 12 ears of corn)
6. 3 cups chicken broth+
7. 3/4 teaspoons salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
9. 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
10. 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

Melt the butter in a large pot. When the butter is hot, add the onion, carrots and celery and cook just until tender, stirring frequently, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the corn and cook 2 minutes more. Remove 4 cups of the vegetables and transfer to a food processor. Puree the mixture until fairly smooth and return it to the soup pot.

Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, add the peppers and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the dill and taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with more dill.

+You can easily make this vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock