Corn Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
Corn (choose one)
- 4 ears of corn
- 4 cups / 750g / 1.5 lb frozen or canned corn, drained
Soup
- 1 tsp butter (or oil)
- 250g / 8 oz bacon, chopped
- 30g / 2 tbsp butter (use 3 tbsp if bacon is lean)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small onion, diced (or half large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
- 5 tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 3 cups milk (I use low fat but full fat will work too)
- 600g / 1.2 lb potatoes, cut into 1 cm / 2/5″ cubes (about 2 large)
- 2 sprigs of thyme OR 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 cup cream
- 3/4 cup shallots / scallions, green part finely sliced
- Salt and finely ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Cut the corn off the cob. This is how I do it: Place a small ramekin in a large bowl. Place corn on the ramekin then cut the corn off. See video. Keep naked cobs.
- 2
Place 1 tsp butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave fat in pot.
- 3
Lower heat to medium high. Add 2 tbsp butter, once melted, add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- 4
Add flour and mix it in. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- 5
Add broth, milk, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Break naked cobs into 2 or 3 and add into the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer for 25 minutes (adjust heat so it's simmering energetically but not bubbling like crazy or super gently).
- 6
Remove lid, remove corn cobs. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked to your taste.
- 7
Stir through cream and 3/4 of the bacon and shallots. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and shallots.
