Editor's Note: What kid can resist a hearty and healthy soup — when it’s served up in little squash bowls? This appealing chowder is easy to make and delicious, with fresh corn and a hint of bacon.
PCC Natural Markets offers cooking classes for kids of all ages through their PCC Cooks classroom program. Visit pcccooks.com for a schedule of upcoming classes. Kids' classes can be found here.
Corn Chowder
in Sweet Dumpling Squash Bowls
Serves 6
6 sweet dumpling squash
3 slices turkey bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 red potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh corn kernels
With the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut wide tops out of the squash to make deep bowls. Scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon. Discard the seed and the stringy pulp. Continue to scrape away the flesh of the squash, until the walls of the bowl are about 3/8-inch thick and have about a 2/3 cup capacity. Chop up the extra squash meat and save to use in the soup.
Sauté the bacon in a 3-quart saucepan for three minutes or until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, potatoes and reserved squash meat to the pan. Sauté over medium heat until tender, about eight minutes. Stir in the flour and chili powder, and then add the vegetable broth. Cook for 5 minutes more, until the potatoes and squash meat are very soft.
Pour hot water into squash bowls to warm them up. Mash up the potatoes and the squash with the back of a large spoon. Add the corn and milk to the pan and continue to cook until thoroughly heated.
Empty and dry the squash bowls. Fill with the chowder and sprinkle the bacon on top. Serve right away!
Recipe by Krista Fay, PCC Cooks instructor
