Sweet Corn & Chorizo

It has been SO long since I have blogged here.  I am not really sure why, other than the fact that my life has been in such a flux for the past couple years.  But I am finally settled for a little while, so I figured it was time to post a new recipe.  Our CSA started back up about a month ago.  I have been traveling so much that I have not managed to cook for a while, but tonight I needed to use up some corn.  I had already put up 12 ears a couple weeks ago, so I didn't want to freeze this batch.  So I decided it was time to give my slow cooker a workout too and make some chowder.  As I was putting it all together, I remembered that I had a beautiful Spanish chorizo, so I diced some of it and used it to flavor the chowder.

Corn & Chorizo Chowder

5 ears of corn*, kernels cut off
5 small red skin* potatoes
1 small candy onion*, chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 oz Spanish chorizo, diced
1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream

1. Cut corn kernels from the cob.  Set aside 1 cup kernels.  Add all ingredients into crock of slow-cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW until potatoes are cooked.

2. Remove half of the chowder to a blender.  Allow to cool slightly, then puree until smooth.  Return puree to crockpot and add evaporated milk or cream.  Cook on LOW until heated through.  Garnish with fresh corn, if desired.

*CSA ingredients

Beef, White Bean, Quinoa Stew

After a couple weeks in India, I had a taste for beef.  I had bought a pound of stew beef from Jack's before leaving for India and put it in my freezer.  I wasn't quite in the mood for traditional stew, so I looked around for other ideas.  I ran across a recipe for Beef and White Bean Stew but decided that I needed some additional protein and carbs in the recipe, so I added some quinoa.  It turned out to be a very nice, comforting stew.

Beef, White Bean and Quinoa Stew

• 1 lb Stew Beef
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup dried quinoa (I used a mix of red and white)
• 2 cups water

Place all ingredients, except quinoa and water into bowl of slow cooker.  Cook, covered, for 4 hours on HIGH.  While the stew is cooking, boil water.  Add quinoa, stir and then cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Season slightly with salt (but remember that you have seasoned the stew as well).  Stir quinoa into stew and cook for 15-20 minutes for flavors to combine.