Southwest Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

1    medium white onion, chopped (1 cup)

4    cloves garlic, minced

1    Anaheim pepper

2    red chile peppers

2    jalapeno peppers

2    tablespoons olive oil

2    cups corn kernels, divided

1    cup low fat (2%) milk

METHOD

Place the onion and garlic in a medium bowl and set aside. Cut the tops off of the peppers, remove the seeds and the inner white membranes from all of them.* Slice lengthwise into ¼ inch slices and then chop into small pieces. Add them to the onions and garlic.

Now, go and wash your hands very well with warm water and soap before you rub your eyes or your lips and really hurt yourself.

Warm a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When warmed, add the bowl of onions and peppers and saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove ¼ cup of the onions and peppers and put them into the medium bowl. Add 1 ¾ cups of the corn to the sauce pan, putting the other ¼ cup into the bowl of peppers/onions.

Add the milk to the sauce pan, bring to a soft boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Using batches if necessary, add the soup to a food processor or a blender and process to a very coarse puree. Return to the sauce pan, add the bowl of corn and peppers and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve immediately.

*COOKS NOTE: Removing the inner white membranes removes most of the heat from these peppers. If you like it hot, leave some of the membrane on when you cut the peppers up, especially the red chilies.