Traditional Corn Chowder

This corn chowder recipe is from well before people cared about counting calories, but for all that it definitely doesn’t skimp on flavor. One of my all time favorite soups, I’ll take it over a clam chowder any time. This soup is great for dinner, and hearty enough to stand as a meal alone. The original recipe is from “The New Best Recipe”, and calls for salt pork instead of bacon. While rendering the salt pork does impart a lot of flavor, it’s difficult to come by and I’ve found that bacon is a fine alternative. It’s also quite easy to make this recipe vegetarian by skipping the bacon all together and using unsalted butter instead. 

INGREDIENTS makes 8 servings

10 medium ears fresh corn, shucked and silk removed

3 oz bacon (or salt pork if you can get it), diced

1 Tbs unsalted butter

1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3 Tbs all-purpose flour

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and diced

1 bay leaf

1 tsp minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbs minced fresh parsley

1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)

Ground pepper (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 4 ears of corn

1. Use a chef’s knife to cut the ears of corn in half crosswise. Stand the ears on their cut surfaces on a cutting board and use the chef’s knife to cut the kernels from the corn. Transfer the kernels to a medium bowl and set aside.

• 6 ears of corn

2. Grate the kernels from the remaining 6 ears of corn on the large holes of a box grater. Scrape the remaining kernels and pulp off the cob with the back of a butter knife. The pulp or corn “milk” has a lot of starch in it, and it’s what will thicken the chowder. Transfer the grated corn and pulp to a separate bowl and set aside.

• 3 oz bacon (or salt pork), diced
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups whole milk
• reserved grated corn and pulp

3. Saute the bacon in a Dutch oven oven over medium high heat until the cubes are a crispy golden brown, and the fat is rendered, about 10 min. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the butter and onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 12 min. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 min.Whisking constantly gradually add the broth. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, milk, reserved grated corn and pulp and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, 8 – 10 min.

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
• 1.5 tsp salt
• reserved corn kernels

4. Add the reserved corn kernels and heavy cream, return to a simmer, and simmer until the corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 min. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley, salt, and season to taste with pepper. Serve immediately.

5. The chowder can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot, do not boil (it could curdle).