This recipe came from: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/instant-pot-chipotle-cheddar-corn-chowder/
*Pic 1 - https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/instant-pot-chipotle-cheddar-corn-chowder/
Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I added an extra 1/2-portion of potato. I used medium instead of extra-sharp cheddar (shopping SNAFU). And, I used regular chicken broth, instead of low-sodium.General Thoughts: This one is fairly low-cost, particularly if you already have bacon on hand, and the prep was pretty simple. I, once again, had a lovely assistant (Lisa) who did my veggie chopping for me and, since this is an Instant Pot recipe, the process from start to finish took only about an hour. (*If you don't have an Instant Pot, there are also slow cooker/CrockPot cooking instructions at the bottom of the recipe page.)
*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it
Potential Improvements? As good as this one was, there are a few things I would want to do next time... I'd want to make more bacon. It was the best part and, consequently, it went fast! So, I'd make 1.5x or 2x the bacon next go 'round. I'd use double the number of chiles in adobo to really kick up the flavor and give it that punch I was missing. I'd want to use extra-sharp cheese to give it a bit more tang. And, as a backup, I'd love to have a nice selection of hot sauces standing by for eaters to garnish and spice their bowls to their hearts' content.
The soup came out the perfect thickness, particularly when I gave it a chance to "set up" a little. I used an immersion blender, rather than removing half of it from the pot and putting it in a food processor, but it accomplished the same thing: a hearty and deliciously creamy soup, with a good balance between smooth and chunky.
The flavor was good, not in the least objectionable, but a little bland for my tastes. Many people will like it just the way it is (mild), but I need some more punch. Despite the chiles in adobo and cilantro, the soup was neither overly smokey nor spicy; both flavors were present but very subtle (to my taste buds, at least). As a result, the garnishes played a real starring role, with the bacon, cheese, and green onions all playing a large part in the taste of each bowl. The bacon, in particular, was critical to my enjoyment of this soup. The recipe called for the bacon to be sauteed, but then removed from the pot, and only added back to each bowl after the soup is finished cooking, but you may choose to leave it in the pot if you'd prefer not to use it as a garnish.
Finally, as you can see from the picture above, I served this soup in bread bowls, which was okay, but I am not sure I'd do it again. I think it would have been just fine, if not better, in a standard soup bowl.
The flavor was good, not in the least objectionable, but a little bland for my tastes. Many people will like it just the way it is (mild), but I need some more punch. Despite the chiles in adobo and cilantro, the soup was neither overly smokey nor spicy; both flavors were present but very subtle (to my taste buds, at least). As a result, the garnishes played a real starring role, with the bacon, cheese, and green onions all playing a large part in the taste of each bowl. The bacon, in particular, was critical to my enjoyment of this soup. The recipe called for the bacon to be sauteed, but then removed from the pot, and only added back to each bowl after the soup is finished cooking, but you may choose to leave it in the pot if you'd prefer not to use it as a garnish.
Finally, as you can see from the picture above, I served this soup in bread bowls, which was okay, but I am not sure I'd do it again. I think it would have been just fine, if not better, in a standard soup bowl.
Potential Improvements? As good as this one was, there are a few things I would want to do next time... I'd want to make more bacon. It was the best part and, consequently, it went fast! So, I'd make 1.5x or 2x the bacon next go 'round. I'd use double the number of chiles in adobo to really kick up the flavor and give it that punch I was missing. I'd want to use extra-sharp cheese to give it a bit more tang. And, as a backup, I'd love to have a nice selection of hot sauces standing by for eaters to garnish and spice their bowls to their hearts' content.
Polling the Fam: This one was extremely solid, and I'd definitely make it again, especially with the improvements I detailed above. Becky thought it was good, and had two bowls, but thought it was missing a little something that she couldn't put her finger on. Jayson thought it was really good and liked it a lot, but agreed it needed more spice and that it might have been better in a regular soup bowl. Josh called it "pretty amazing," taking special note of the cilantro, and said he'd pay for this soup in a restaurant! (*A very nice compliment, indeed!) Hunter thought it was really good and had three bowls, but agreed with me that the bacon and cheese garnishes were a must. And, Fox thought it was good and liked that it had potatoes in it.
Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)
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