This recipe came about as I’m sure most do around the world — I had vegetables that needed to be used as well as some potatoes and a can of creamed corn that mysteriously showed up in my pantry  and has since been mocking me and challenging me to use it to make something tasty. While I’m sure that just adding it to soup won’t win me a World’s Most Creative Use of Canned Creamed Corn award it still made for a tasty addition that I won’t hesitate to use again. There it is, even in the kitchen — or perhaps I should say especially in the kitchen — we live and learn.

2-3 shallots, thoroughly washed, tops removed, thinly sliced

½ pound of shallots, peeled and sliced

2 white onions, peeled and sliced

1 small head of garlic (yes, head – not cloves) peeled and sliced

5 cups of potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 1 inch cubes

3 stalks of celery, scrubbed and sliced into ¼ inch pieces

2 large carrots peeled and cut into ¼ inch rounds

Fresh Flat Leaf (or other) parsley minced (to taste, I like a good 6 tablespoons or so)

1 can cream of corn (no joke, we had some in the cupboard that was an accidental purchase – grabbed one can – it’s actually really nice in this soup)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (optional if you have allergies or are on a dairy free diet)

1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar OR 1 teaspoon soy sauce OR 1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar reduction (just pick one option)

Kosher salt (you will get better flavor if you use a pinch of salt as you add each vegetable as opposed to adding one defined amount at the end).

1 Bay leaf

1 small dried red chili or ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes

Water

*In a large heavy stock pot heat the oil and butter over medium heat, add the white onions, celery and carrots to the pan sprinkling each vegetable lightly with kosher salt as you go.

*Saut̩ until the onions begin to sweat (release water) Рabout 2 minutes, then add the garlic, shallots and leek, adding a pinch of salt to each as you did above.

*Stir well and add the Balsamic vinegar (or whichever of the three options you chose) and allow everything to cook down together, about 4 minutes.

*Add the potatoes to the pan along with a pinch of salt and just enough water to cover the potatoes

*Add a large or two small bay leaves to the water, stir well, cover pan and bring to a boil

* Once boiling stir again and reduce heat to medium-low – allow the potatoes and veggies to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are ‘fall apart’ tender

*Remove Bay leave and chili pepper pod

*Using an immersion blender**, carefully blend the soup until it starts to thicken slightly, you don’t want to cream the potatoes and alliums into a puree, just blend it a bit to make it thick and creamy, you should still have some moderate sized chunks of potato and carrot left.

*Stir in the can of creamed corn, minced parsley and cracked black pepper to taste. This is also a good time to taste once more for salt, add in a pinch more if needed.

*Let the soup come back up to a low simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

*Taste once more for salt and pepper, if it’s all tasty to you remove the soup from the heat and serve. If not adjust seasoning and let it cook a minute or so more.

*For those who like such things you could serve topped with a shaving of parmesan cheese and is most excellent with toasted wheat breads or cornbreads.

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*The recipe can be made dairy free by simply omitting the butter

** If you don’t have an immersion blender you can get the same effect by blending about ½ the soup in a conventional blender then stirring it back into the soup kettle – even easier, use a good old fashioned potato masher.