Chicken & Corn Chowder

 Part of getting out of my food rut is being more creative with my cooking. I think I envisioned this originally as trying different recipies in my backlog of cookbooks. However, when I'm feeling creative in the kitchen, I sometimes create a dish ad hoc that's excellent. I always think I should write it down and I almost never do. I then usually forget how I made it. I think in the spirit of experimentation and exploration, that when I manage something cool - it should probably count toward my goal. So here's the first of my original recipes.

Chicken and Corn Chowder (serves 6)

• 2 pounds bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces
• 2 carrots, scrubbed and ends trimmed - cut into chunks
• 1 onion, wasted and cut into quarters
• 2 ribs celery, scrubbed and cut into chunks
• 2 pound bag frozen corn (or equal corn on cob, kernels stripped and cobs reserved)
• 2 green chilies, trimmed and minced (I like serrano's but there's nothing wrong with jalapeno)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced fine
• chicken boullion granules (optional)
• Salt to taste

For serving:

• sour cream or greek yogurt
• green onion
• shredded cheese
• hot sauce
• chicken-skin chitlins (recipe after)

1. make the broth: put the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, and corn cobs (if using squeeze before discarding) in a pot cover with water and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until chicken is ready to come off the bone - 45 minutes to an hour. Strain. Reserve the broth and the chicken - toss spent vegetables. 

2. Return broth to pot. Add corn kernels and chilies. Bring to a simmer for at least 10 minutes before step 4.

3. Strip the meat from the bones and chop. (reserve the skin if you are making chitlins)

4. Remove the broth from the heat. Let cool a few minute and blitz a few times with a stick blender. The point is to break up the corn and release the natural starches. You could puree part or all of it in a blender if you like a puree'd soup but I suggest letting it cool to warm before you do. (blenders tend to spurt - the hot liquid creates a lot of pressure within the canister)

5. Return broth and corn mixture to the heat. Add red bell pepper and chicken meat. Simmer until bell pepper is cooked through. Taste. If thin tasting at boullion granules if you like. You could also try oregano, cream, or even dill. Adjust salt to taste and serve with preferred toppings.

Chicken Skin Chitlins

• oil with a high smoke point (I like peanut or canola)
• Chicken skin (reserved from recipe above and cut into strips
• Salt

1. heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When water drops sizzle on contact, add chicken skin. Try to get it in piece by piece without touching in one layer... makes things easier. Sprinkle liberally with salt.

2. let sizzle until the edges brown and curl. (3 or 4 minutes) Flip over and cook until the bottom browns (2-5 minutes) Remove and drain on paper towls.