Corn Chowder with Bacon

Make your later Corn Chowder extra delicious by using the bacon drippings to cause the soup base and after clipping the kernels off, throw the corn cobs into the broth to infuse it with extra corn flavour! The potato is cooked up to extremely soft, thus the edges are starting to breakdown and this helps thicken the soup. Recipe VIDEO below.

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 equal part large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
• ▢ 5 tbsp flour
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth , little sodium
• ▢ 3 cups milk (I use little fat but stocked fat will work too)
• ▢ 600g / 1.2 lb potatoes , saw into 1 cm / 2/5" cubes (about 2 large)
• ▢ 2 sprigs of thyme OR 1 tsp dry thyme
• ▢ 3/4 cup cream (Note 1)
• ▢ 3/4 cup shallots / scallions , green part finely sliced
• ▢ Salt and finely ground seasoning to taste

Instructions

• Cut the corn off the cob. This is how I do it: Place a minute ramekin within a large bowl. Place corn on top of the ramekin then saw the corn off. See video. Keep nude cobs.
• Place 1 tsp butter within a large container over average high heat. Add bacon and cook up to golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove onto a newspaper towel lined plate. Leave fat within pot.
• Lower warm (up) to average high. Add 2 tbsp butter, once melted, add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 - 3 record up to onion is translucent.
• Add flour and blend it in. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add broth, milk, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Break nude cobs into 2 or 3 and add into the liquid. Put the covering on top of and simmer for 25 record (adjust warm (up) thus it's simmering energetically but not bubbling same as odd or super gently).
• Remove lid, remove corn cobs. Add corn and cook for 5 record or up to cooked to your taste.
• Stir by way of ointment and 3/4 of the bacon and shallots. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and shallots.

Recipe Notes:

1. I use heavy / thickened cream. Feel free to use equal part and half, pouring or stable light cream. Butter is and a large choice if you don't have ointment - just a minute knob to add richness. Or omit it for a healthier version - it's still beautifully milky and thick.

2. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings. 175 calories of the 620 calories is attributable to the bacon (streaky bacon). Use lean or turkey bacon to saw along on top of calories!