Corn Chowder with Bacon
Corn chowder with bacon is a lovely late-summer meal that is full of fresh flavors and comforting creaminess. Not too heavy but still satisfying because of the addition of bacon, cumin, turmeric, and thyme.
Ingredients
- 3 medium ears fresh yellow or bicolor corn
- 4 ounces slab (unsliced) bacon*, rind removed, cut into 1/3-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, (7 to 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 large red bell pepper, (6 to 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 to 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pound Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 3 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons minced chives or thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
- Husk the corn. Carefully remove most of the silk by hand and then rub the ears with a towel to finish the job. Slice the kernels from the cobs and place them a bowl. You should have about 2 cups. Using the back of your knife, scrape downwards along the cobs and add the milky substance that oozes out to the corn kernels. Discard the cobs.
- Heat a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced bacon. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden brown. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat, leaving the bacon in the pot.
- Add the butter, onion, bell pepper, thyme, cumin, and turmeric and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onion and pepper are tender but not browned. Add the corn kernels, potatoes, and stock, turn up the heat, cover, and boil vigorously for about 10 minutes. Some of the potatoes will fall apart, but most should retain their shape.
- Use the back of your spoon to smash a bit of the corn and potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the chowder. Reduce the heat to medium and season the chowder with salt and pepper. Stir the cornstarch mixture and slowly pour it into the pot, stirring constantly. As soon as the chowder has come back to a boil and thickened slightly, remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Ladle the chowder into cups or bowls and sprinkle with the chopped chives. Serve immediately or let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld. If you aren't serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to a few days. Reheat the chowder over low heat and but don't let it boil.
Notes
*What is slab bacon?
Really, it's pretty much what it sounds like—it's just bacon before it's been sliced so it's still in the 'slab' form. Cured and smoked, it also usually has the rind attached. The interesting thing is that if you can get your mitts on a long slab of pork belly then smoke and cure it, you've made your own bacon. If you can't find slab bacon (or don't have the ambition to make your own) you can try a really thick sliced bacon, instead.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 325mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g