Name: The Minimalist's Corn Chowder
Total time: 30 to 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 to 6 ears corn; 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped, optional; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional

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The Minimalist's Corn ChowderCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

Anyone who's ever had a garden or raided a cornfield knows that when corn is young you can eat it cob and all, and that the cob has as much flavor as the kernels. That flavor remains even when the cob has become inedibly tough, and you can take advantage of it by using it as the base of a corn chowder—a corn stock, if you will. Into that stock can go some starch for bulk, a variety of seasonings from colonial to contemporary, and, finally, the corn kernels. The entire process takes about a half hour, and the result is a thick, satisfying chowder that is best made in late summer.

Recipe notes

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