Sweet Corn Chowder

Sweet Corn Chowder

We make this creamy chowder when corn is so fresh sweet that farmers at market give away samples to eat just off cob. It really doesn’t need to be cooked. If fresh corn on cob, scrape off reserve kernels, then add cobs to stock. Just before serving, remove cobs add corn kernels. Garnish with bits of bacon freshly chopped parsley.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces bacon
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled diced
  • 1 pint chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pint whole milk
  • ½ red ½ green pepper, cored chopped
  • 4–5 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked, with corn kernels cut from cob (about 3 cups kernels)—save cobs to enrich stock
  • Salt freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation

In a large saucepan, sauté bacon until crisp, but be careful not to burn it.

Remove bacon, drain on paper towels, chop.

Add onion celery to pan sauté in bacon fat until soft.

Sprinkle with flour cook, stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf (corn cobs if you are them), bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

Remove corn cobs, add milk, be careful not to let soup boil again since it might separate.

Stir in chopped red green peppers, corn kernels, salt pepper to taste.

Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve garnished with bacon chopped fresh parsley.

By Lucia Watson, chef

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