So, since Mother has no idea how to make corn chowder I had to go from memory of how it tasted and try to replicate it. This is the recipe I came up with. First a disclaimer. My photographer was not feeling up to taking pictures today, so these are mine. I know they are not great. Just bear with me.
The ingredients: Corn, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, bacon, potatoes, chicken broth, cream and cayenne.
First dice your bacon. Ok, I just sliced it in 1/4 inch slices. Notice this bacon is ridiculously fatty. Not to worry. That's not a bad thing in this chowder.
Then, prepare your other ingredients. Red bell pepper, onion, potato and garlic.
A quick tip for cutting corn off the cob. To keep it from scattering all over the counter, put the end of the cob in a bowl. It will catch the corn and prevent a big mess. I unfortunately forgot this tip on the first cob. Luckily, my dog loves fresh sweet corn and cleaned the floor. If you don't have a sweet corn loving dog, try to remember this on the first cob. I actually made my photographer come into the kitchen to take this picture. It's that important.
Put the bacon in a large sauce pan and sauté over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
Drop the red bell pepper in the same pan and sauté for about a minute. Remove and drain on a paper towel. You can put them on the same plate as the bacon. They will go back in the pan at the same time.
Remove bacon fat leaving about 2 T. in the pan.
Add the onion, garlic and cayenne. Sauté until the cayenne blooms - or starts to be very aromatic. Add the potatoes and corn. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add 3 c. of chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Here's my top secret tip. Put one of the corn cobs in the pot. It will make your soup taste cornier. And that's a good thing,
Yes, I slopped all over the stove. I can't cook without making a mess on the stove. It's like things leap out of the pot.
After the potatoes are tender, remove the corn cob. It's served its purpose. Drop that bad boy in the trash like an old boyfriend. Take 2 cups of the soup and put it in the blender or food processor. Blend the soup until smooth and return to the pot. This step is important as it thickens the soup and makes it a creamy chowder.
Then put in the bacon, peppers and 1/2 c. of cream. Simmer until it's the thickness you like. If it gets too thick put in a little chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Put in a bowl and garnish with some fresh chives.
And here it is in all its corny bacony creamy goodness.
Serve it with a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich, a biscuit, or all by itself. It's warming and luscious. A perfect use for all that fresh corn that's available right now. If it's the middle of winter, you can use frozen corn kernals. You'll miss the richness from the cob, but you'll survive.
So here's my recipe:
Corn Chowder
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6 to 8 ears)
3-4 potatoes peeled and cut in ½ “ cubes
3-4 potatoes peeled and cut in ½ “ cubes
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives
Sauté bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove from pot leaving bacon drippings. Add red pepper and sauté for three minutes. Remove.
Drain off excess bacon fat leaving 2T. in pot.
Add onion, garlic and cayenne. Sauté for 30-45 seconds. Long enough to smell the cayenne. Add corn and potatoes. Sauté until onion is translucent. About 5 minutes.
Add broth and simmer until potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes.
Put two cups of soup in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot. Stir in bacon, red pepper and cream. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more broth if too thick.
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