Corn and Chanterelle Chowder with Mussels

a comforting early fall soup for that's easier to make than you think

Landing back home from my trip to Europe has not been the easiest transition. On top of major jet lag, the heatwave zapped any remaining energy right out of me.

It’s been a slow process finding my way back to my kitchen practice, but I’m starting to see it more as a blessing than a curse. Not having as much energy as I’d like to have has pushed me to get back to basics, simplify, and see my rituals in a new light.

The cliche mantra I keep telling myself is, “less is more.” Which just so happens to fit right in with the seasonal threshold I’m in. I’m finding the start of fall to be all about decluttering, cleaning, and creating more space within my physical surroundings.

The pale dry stems in the garden need to be cut back, the last of the leggy herbs want to be harvested to dry, and preserving the final flush of juicy tomatoes is on the agenda. Change is all around.

This change has in many ways felt much harder than in past seasons. Perhaps it always feels this way and I *always* think it’s this hard, but for some reason, something is telling me it IS different.

It’s been almost 3 years since the beginning of the pandemic and sometimes I forget how much we’ve all been coping to get a long with life, as one traumatic event rolls in after another.

No wonder so many of us are feeling exhausted and burnout as we head into a season where signs to slow down are all around us. But how do we actually do this? How do we move at a kinder, more sustainable pace even with full plates?

I’m certainly not an expert and I’m figuring this out for myself as I go along, but at the very least, I know I always feel more grounded when I’m cooking.

It doesn’t have to be a complex meal. Just something flavorful, comforting, and quick that makes the day feel a little more special.

Here are some simple kitchen rituals that are helping me stay connected and I hope they give you some inspiration too.

Make it a ceremony | Light a candle, burn dried herbs, or turn on some relaxing tunes to help turn your time in the kitchen feel more like a ceremony for nourishment, creativity, and connection. Candles while cooking add a whole other level of romance and ambiance. Beeswax has a calming scent and detoxifying properties as it ionizes the air around it. It’s a soothing way to invite in the shorter days and darker evenings.

Low and slow cooking | The way you cook your food determines the energy it carries, both on a physical and emotional level. In the summertime it’s all about light and fresh foods meant to invigorate and keep us cool. During fall, slow and low cooking is a way to help us feel more grounded and nourished. Think pot roasts, curries, broths, soups, and stews. This also helps to keep cooking and cleanup simple by making a one-pot dinner. Make extra to enjoy leftovers for the next day and serve it with a salad or veggies to add some extra interest.

Prep for the day ahead | When I’m cooking dinner, I like to fill a mason jar with my favorite nourishing dried herbs like nettle, rose, oat tops, and raspberry leaf for an overnight infusion. Depending on the weather, I’ll pop it into the fridge for a cold beverage or keep it on the counter to strain and warm up the next day. It’s an easy way to remember to get support from these herbs while also helping me stay hydrated throughout the day.

Utilize your blender | I’m a huge proponent of making an herbal sauce once a week to add extra flavor to meals. No need to spend time chopping if you can put everything in the blender and blitz it up then store in an airtight container. You can make it on the thicker side to use as a sauce and then thin it out a bit with more olive oil, lemon, or vinegar for a quick dressing. Try this recipe or this one.

For this recipe, I wanted a creamy and comforting seafood chowder and used ingredients I happened to have on hand. Mussels are something I don’t cook with often but enjoyed a lot while traveling throughout Spain and Portugal.

I had some leftover from a paella dinner I made and decided to add them to a white wine infused chowder. My CSA had the most beautiful last-of-the-season sweet corn and beautiful creamy potatoes, so I knew I had to use them up too.

As for the mushrooms I used, a friend shared some chanterelles and I needed to cook them up since they were so fresh. I know chanterelles aren’t the easiest to find, but if you ever see them, grab them. They have such a lovely flavor and texture perfect for adding to pasta, soups, or just eating right out of the pan.

If you can’t get your hands on fresh chanterelles use your favorite dried or fresh mushrooms instead. Just make sure to reconstitute the dried mushrooms before adding them in.

To serve, toast some fresh bread with butter to sop up all of the delicious creamy broth from the chowder. And as always, feel free to sub the butter and milk for dairy-free options and skip the mussels if you don’t do seafood.