Grilled Summer Corn & Chipotle Chowdah

Before the summer ended, I wanted to share this recipe for corn chowder.  I looked for a good corn chowder recipe for a long time until I finally came across this one in a Rachel Ray magazine.  I may have torn out the page from the Dr's office while no one was looking (shhhh!  don't tell!), but it was definitely worth it.  Creamy and smoky with a hint of spiciness.  So, so good.

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• Grilled Summer Corn & Chipotle Chowdah
• Ingredients:
• 6 ears corn
• Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as yukon gold, cut into small cubes
• 2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• One 32-ounce container (4 cups) vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Lime wedges, chopped flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped scallions and crumbles cotija cheese or queso fresco, for garnish
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• Directions:
• Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil the ears of corn until charred, 7 to 8 minutes (cover the grill to give the corn a smoky flavor). Scrape the kernels from the cob.  (We don't have a grill so I just roasted them under the broiler for a few minutes until charred).
• While the corn is charring, in a soup pot, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the onion, potatoes, celery and garlic to the pot. Add the bay leaf and thyme, season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes
• Using a food processor, puree the chipotle chiles. Stir into the vegetables, then stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep warm. Rinse the food processor bowl.
• Add one-third of the corn kernels to the food processor, pour in 2 cups of the soup and puree. Pour the mixture into the remaining soup and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the remaining corn kernels, the cream and reserved bacon and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve the chowder in bowls with the lime wedges, parsley, scallions and lots of cheese.