This Poblano, Corn, Potato Chowder Salad has the components of corn and potato chowder soup, kicked up with fresh chile peppers and transformed into a salad for a summertime side dish or vegetable-heavy main course.
This salad is the creation of a very talented friend of mine, Chef Robin White. I met Robin when she was living in Sonoma County and we share a love of California wine country living, using fresh organic ingredients, and creating new recipes in the kitchen whenever possible.
Today at The Food Network’s #SummerFest we are celebrating peppers. These run the gamut from mild bell peppers to screaming hot habaneros, ghost or birds-eye chiles. The beauty of peppers is that you get to choose your heat level. You can mix and match a variety to get the flavor and heat you and your family love.
Some people don’t use peppers because they think they don’t like “spicy” foods. What they don’t realize is that they can enjoy the flavors without the heat by using a different kind of pepper. They run the range from mild to hot. Generally, the smaller they are, the hotter they are. Poblanos are very mild with a lovely chile flavor.
When I went shopping for the ingredients for today’s recipe, there were some absolutely gorgeous baby Cubanelle peppers at the farmer’s market so I grabbed a few of them. My father-in-law grows poblano peppers and had some extras this week, so a couple of those went in as well. I love the rich flavor of these mild peppers and they blend beautifully with the Cubanelles.
If you don’t eat bacon or want to make this vegetarian or vegan, you can leave out the bacon and use all olive oil instead. Because you won’t have the salty bacon fat in the final dish, you will also want to increase the amount of added salt to your taste.
One of the things I love the most about being part of the Food Network’s seasonal “fests” is that we are given an ingredient and can do anything we want to with that ingredient. It never fails to amaze me when I look at the wide array of recipes that we all come up with week after week. There is some serious talent here and I applaud all of the other bloggers’ creativity! Make sure you check out all the recipes below and follow our beautiful Pinterest page!
Have fun with today’s salad and just imagine that it is cold and snowy outside. Maybe you’ll have a little relief from the summer heat and humidity! This may be a new family favorite for us, how about you?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!
Key Ingredients for Poblano, Corn, Potato Chowder Salad:
- Potatoes, salt, bacon, olive oil, poblano chiles, red onion
- Corn on the cob, vinegar, hot sauce, honey, butter, parsley
PRO Tip:
If you like more spicy heat, you can include a jalapeño pepper in addition to the milder peppers. Or add more hot sauce, customize the flavors to your taste.
How to make Poblano, Corn, Potato Chowder Salad:
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender, drain and cool until you can handle them; cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, place on a paper towel-lined plate and crumble when cool enough to handle; drain off all but 2 tbsp of the bacon drippings and add 2 tbsp oil then heat over medium-high heat
- When shimmering, add the onions and poblano pieces, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes, stirring often; add the corn kernels and cook another 2 to 3 minutes
- Make the dressing by whisking together the vinegar, water, honey, 2 tbsp bacon drippings, 2 tbsp olive oil and a few drops hot sauce; add to the skillet with the vegetables and bring to a boil, cook 1 minute then remove from the heat
- Add the vegetables with sauce to the potatoes and add in the cooked and crumbled bacon, tossing to combine; transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro or parsley, then serve warm or at room temperature
PRO Tip: How to Safely Remove Kernels from an Ear of Corn
When you are cutting the kernels off the corncobs, they wobble and the kernels fly all over your kitchen. But there is an easier and safer way to do the job. All you need to do is create a flat surface. Husk and clean the cobs. Snap them in half and stand one half on the flat end. There is much less risk of cutting yourself when the cob is stable. Use a sharp knife and cut down, keeping the blade nearly flat against the cob, trimming the kernels off without cutting into the tough cob.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
Watch the bacon you use, being sure it is clearly labeled gluten-free. Everything else is naturally gluten-free!
Poblano, Corn, Potato Chowder Salad (Gluten Free)
This Poblano, Corn, Potato Chowder Salad has the components of corn and potato chowder soup, kicked up with fresh chile peppers and transformed into a salad for a summertime side dish or vegetable-heavy main course.
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 lb small Red Bliss or red skinned potatoes
- 1 to 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 8 strips of high quality gluten-free bacon, cooked crisply, drippings reserved
- 4 to 8 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 poblano chilies or other mild chile, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
- 8 to 10 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob and reserved
- 1/2 cup good quality apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- Your favorite hot sauce, such as Sriracha or Tabasco, to taste
- 1 tbsp honey
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and add the salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, it will take about 15 to 25 minutes. Drain well and let cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
- While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the drippings. When cool, crumble the bacon and set aside.
- In the same large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of the bacon fat and 2 tbsp of the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and poblano chilies, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the corn kernels and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine the vinegar, water, honey, 2 tbsp bacon drippings, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a few drops of hot sauce. Taste and adjust the heat level if desired. Whisk to combine and add to the skillet with the vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Stir the butter into the vegetables, taste and adjust the seasonings with additional salt or pepper if needed. Add the vegetables to the potatoes and add in the crumbled bacon. Toss until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro or parsley.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Store, covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
Recipe inspired by Chef Robin White
Gluten-Free Tips:
Watch the bacon you use, being sure it is clearly labeled gluten-free. Everything else is naturally gluten-free!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 481Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 679mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 5g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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napafarmhouse1885/diane
aah…poblanos! i love the smoky, hot taste. this salad sounds amazing. off to the farmer’s market to purchase the ingredients now…
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook
Thank you Diane – I know you will love this salad! It is perfect any time of the year, but especially now with the fresh corn at the market!!
Jeanette
What a fun salad Jane – packed with flavors and textures, my favorite kind of salad!
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook
Thanks Jeanette! Such a fun idea and really delicious!