Corn Chowder
Author Steve Albert
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped or 3 scallions white bulb and 3 inches of green cut into ¼ inch slices
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 pound baking potatoes such as Yukon Gold (3 medium potatoes), peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 6 cups chicken stock or canned broth
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
- 1 cup half-and-half or ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- Meaty option: 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 2½ pound roasted hen)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Add-ons for summer flavor
- 2 ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Wilt bacon in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until fat renders and meat starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and allow it to melt
- Add onion or scallions, reduce heat to low and cook until soft about 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, another 3 to 5 minutes or so until the flour begins to smell cooked –a whiff of baked pie crust–but hasn’t started to brown.
- Add chicken stock and potatoes. Cook over medium-low heat, simmering until the potatoes are just tender, about 12 minutes.
- Add the half-and-half, corn, pepper, salt and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you are adding roasted chicken to the soup, do so now so that it can heat through.)
- Serve immediately in soup bowls.
- For fresh summer flavor, garnish with your choice of bell peppers, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, cilantro, and a squirt or two of lime juice and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Recipe by Harvest to Table at https://harvesttotable.com/corn-chowder-summer-flavors/