Chowder makes the most of Minnesotans' garden bounty

Soup, a dish that's often called on to save dinner on a cold, winter night, gets short shrift this time of year. Chilled soups, like gazpacho and vichyssoise, do get some respect on a hot day, but there's a hot soup that deserves a place at the dinner table, too. And that soup is chowder.

What makes a soup a chowder? It depends on whom you talk to. Some may define a chowder by its most iconic ingredient, clams, but chowder has a lot of variations, and not all include clams. They do, however, always include potatoes, which I would argue are the heart and soul of a good chowder.

I'm sure there are many intricate chowder recipes with multiple steps, but a delicious bowl can be made simply. It starts by sautéing onions, with or without bacon. If you like your chowder slightly thickened, add a little flour. Stock, whether it's fish, chicken or vegetable, is added with potatoes and the mixture is brought to a simmer.

Here's where the fun begins. At this point, any number of ingredients can be included, along with a generous splash of cream and herbs. Clams, salmon and sausage are all good choices, but this is summer, so let's take advantage of the bounty of vegetables that are now at their peak.

This week, I decided to use some of the zucchini and poblano chiles that are abundant in my garden. I sautéed the chiles with onions and bacon, although chorizo would have also been a great choice. Cubes of zucchini were added to the pot after the potatoes had a head start, as the spuds take longer to cook. If corn or tomatoes were on hand, I would have added those, too.

As this version of chowder is decidedly Mexican-inspired, I included chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (smoked, dried jalapeños canned in a tangy tomato sauce), which infuse the hot liquid with a pleasantly spicy smokiness, backed up by the bacon.

In my mind, any bowl of soup, chowder or chili is made better by a garnish, so for this recipe I use crispy tortilla strips. I make my own, as it's easy to do, but you can buy ready-made strips, too.

Serves 6.

Chipotle and poblano chiles give this soup a little heat and loads of flavor, highlighting all the other ingredients. Zucchini is the star of the bowl, but you could also add other summer bounty, like corn kernels and chopped tomatoes. From Meredith Deeds.

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 c. flour

• 5 c. low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 medium zucchini or summer squash, trimmed and cut into small cubes

• 1 c. heavy cream

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

• Crispy tortilla strips (see recipe)

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter, onion and poblano and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock along with the potatoes, chipotle chiles, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook another 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Stir in the cream and cilantro. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until hot. Taste for seasoning.

Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with crispy tortilla strips and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Serves 6.

Note: From Meredith Deeds.

• 6 corn tortillas, cut in half, then cut crosswise into matchstick-sized strips

• Salt

Directions

Pour enough vegetable oil into medium saucepan to reach a depth of 3/4 inch. Heat oil over medium heat to 350 degrees.

Add about a quarter of the tortilla strips to the hot oil and cook until crisp and light golden, about 30 to 45 seconds.