So on to the pumpkin chowder! The original country living recipe called it 'chowder' but there was no cream or cheese, so we changed that.
Pumpkin Chowder
3-4 tbsps oil (I used refined coconut oil)
2 leeks (trim tough green sections and DO NOT DISCARD, place them in a stock pot to make the stock for this recipe)
3 potatoes, cubed (peels are optional. Pressed for time? Leave the peels on, they actually add nutrition and flavor, just make sure they're washed well)
2-5 sticks celery (the number here depends on how much you like celery!), chopped finely
1 small onion, diced (save the tough outer layers and skin and add them to the stock)
2 small sugar pumpkins, ~cubed (bite-size is what matters here, not actual dimensions), peel the pumpkins and add the peels and fibrous pumpkin insides to the stock
garlic salt to taste
lemon pepper to taste
1/4 beer (any kind will do, but darker beers have more flavor for cooking, day old beer is also fine)
1 bag frozen roasted corn (I used Trader Joe's, great price and delicious smoky flavor)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a swiss/gruyere mix)
parmesan for topping
1/2 cup cream or milk, or desired amount
6 cups homemade stock (can use purchased stock if desired)
Herbs to taste (some ideas: thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, sage, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, etc... . I used oregano, sage, and thyme)
To make soup:
Add oil, leeks, and onions to pan and cook until clear. Add more oil if veggies are sticking. Then add the rest of the vegetables, stock and beer, and herbs of choice. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potato and pumpkin pieces are cooked thoroughly, anywhere from 30 min to and hour, depending on the size of the pieces. About 5 minutes before soup is done add the whole bag of frozen corn and stir in. When soup is done, turn off heat and stir in desired about of milk (I used ~1/2 cup and it made it slightly creamy but not too thick or rich) and cheese. Serve and top with parmesan and chopped parsley or any other desired and tasty garnish.
To make stock:
Add all the trimmings, peels, clippings, etc... from your veggies. This includes the leaves of the celery, the roots and/or base of the celery and leeks, and any other part of the plants, making sure all parts are washed before adding. Add a stick of chopped celery and a quartered small onion and a few crushed garlic cloves.
The herbal component of this is up to you, but I used purple sage (soon you will be able to order one of my home-grown organic bundles), thyme, and oregano that had been slightly dried rather than store-bought. Below is a picture of purple sage hung from a light above my living room table. I find that this keeps herbs fresher and more flavorful but still long-lasting. Here's my blog article on easy herb drying.
Add 8-10 cups of water. Bring stock to a full boil and then reduce to a low boil and leave for ~20 minutes. Then reduce stock to a lower temperature and cook for about an hour, tasting it periodically until you have reached maximum desired flavor.
Meat bones can be added if you would like a meaty stock. It is important to add the bones, though, as the marrow is what gives the flavor.
