Roasted Corn Chowder

1-2 T olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. curry
1 tsp. chili powder
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 ears of corn, roasted, kernels removed
1 large sweet potato, peeled, diced
12 oz. of your favorite tomato sauce (I like a tomato/basil blend)
1 cup fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes, chopped (leave seeds in)
1 quart Better than Bouillon vegetable broth or good veggie stock of your own
(1) 14-oz can coconut milk (full fat)
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Topping Options:
Dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream
3 T fresh chopped scallions or chives

To roast corn, place in a preheated 350° oven (husk and all) for 30 minutes. Cool and cut off the corn. (This is such a lovely technique and really brings out the flavor of the corn!)

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and stir in the cumin, curry and chili powder; cook for one minute to infuse the oil with spice.

Add the chopped garlic and onion. Stir and cook for five minutes. Add the roasted corn, sweet potato, tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes; stir for a minute. Add in the broth.

Cover and bring to a quick boil and then lower the heat and simmer gently, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about twenty minutes or so.

Add the coconut milk at the end. Stir and season with sea salt and ground pepper; and (if using) add a drizzle of organic raw agave to taste. Heat through gently; you don’t want to boil it.

Just before serving, add the chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Stir. Do a taste test. Adjust seasoning to your preference. The lime juice brightens the taste and accents the spice. Agave cools the hotness.

Garnish with a lime wedge and pass out the spoons. Slurp. Smile.