Potato & Seitan Chowder with Green Chiles

..in a bread bowl!

Creamy red potatoes simmered in vegetable broth and coconut milk with red peppers, green chiles and crispy seitan, served in a toasted french bread bowl.

Potato & Seitan Chowder

3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 package seitan, sliced thinly into shred-like pieces
1 yellow onion, small dice
1c red pepper, small dice
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tbl fresh chopped thyme
1-4oz can diced green chiles
2c vegetable broth
3c hot water
2c small diced, peeled red potatoes
1 corn cob, kernals removed, cob saved & cut into large pieces
1/2c ap flour
1-15oz can coconut milk
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
4 small bread loaves
1 scallion, sliced thinly on the bias

In a large stock pot, heat the oil and saute the seitan until golden brown. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic and fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes then add the diced chiles. Toss for one more minute. Add the vegetable broth, hot water, corn cob and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes have cooked through. Remove the corn cob and discard. Add the corn kernels and stir.

Pour the flour into a medium bowl and whisk in the coconut milk. Pour the slurry mixture into the soup and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the soup has thickened. Stir in the cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper.

Cut a large hole out of the middle of the bread loaf, pull out most of the bread inside to create a bowl. Drizzle the inside with oil and toast in the oven on 350 for 5-10 minutes until the inside is crunchy. Pour the soup inside and top with chopped scallions.