Golden Comfort Soup

A few years ago I was cooking lunch for a small retreat from work.  I wanted to make something that was hearty and satisfying for our cold January day, and that would please my fellow participants, none of whom were vegetarians or vegans.

I came up with this version of corn/potato chowder, which is rich and satisfying.  Even though the onions are cooked in a half cup of Earth Balance, since this recipe serves eight people, it still only amounts to about 300 calories a bowl.

This recipe is very easy to execute, with the only time really spent in watching the onions for about a half hour while they brown.  You just need to remember to visit the pot every five minutes or so.  The first part of the recipe, when the thinly sliced onions are sauteed and lightly browned in Earth Balance, is a la Julia Child's method for making French Onion soup.  Once you have that rich, deep mixture of golden onions, the vegetable broth is added, and then chopped potatoes and corn.  After the potatoes are cooked and a bit of thickening is added, you have a thick, succulent chowder.

Make this a day ahead and let it sit and develop additional flavor before reheating and serving.

The last time I made this, I garnished it with these adorable fried shallots, which were a nice touch.  They are a really fun garnish to make, and to put on just about anything!  Well, maybe not ice cream, but about everything else.

Find this recipe on the Soups for the Soul Recipes page.