Sweet Corn Chowder

Along with all the beautiful weather that summer brings, it can also bring in some pretty nasty days as well.

Today is one such day.

We have a large storm system moving through the valley, and I have to be honest, it is not the sort of weather that invokes productivity in me.  In fact, I have pretty much spent my morning cuddled up with my dogs, drinking coffee, and watching Dr. Who. But, we have to eat right?  So what does one make on a rainy summer day such as this?  Why a warm, hearty, and delicious Rainy Day Sweet Corn Chowder of course!  It is a perfectly simple meal, that infuses the wonderful bounty of sweet corn we have so readily available to us right now, with the warm, rib-sticking meal your soul longs for on days like today.  Yes, this is the PERFECT rainy day meal indeed, and I can't wait to show you how I make it! 

Let's get started!

Rainy Day Sweet Corn Chowder:

*Prep Time: 15 min.  *Cook Time: 20 min.  *Difficulty:  Easy   *Servings:  12

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp.  Butter
• 6 Ears of Corn or 3 c. of Frozen
• 2-3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced
• 2 Red Peppers, diced
• 3 Slices of Bacon
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 Red Onion, Diced
• 1/4 c. of Flour
• 3 c. of Chicken Stock
• 2 c. of Half and Half
• 2 c. of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 tsp. of Thyme
• 1/8 tsp. of Cayenne
• 2 tbsp. of Parsley, chopped

The beauty of this dish is that you can use either fresh corn or frozen.

Whatever you have on hand will work brilliantly. 

If you do choose to use fresh you will need to shuck it and remove all of the silkies.

Silkies, is that what they are called? 

I don't know, but for today that is what I am calling them.  *LOL*

I like to give it a little rinse to remove any stubborn silkies, and to clean the corn itself.

We have to get the kernels off of the cob, and that can be tricky, but luckily I am a Food Network junkie have learned this great trick. 

Grab a Bundt pan, turn it over, and use the hole to stabilize the ear of corn. 

Then, glide your knife down the ear and the kernels will fall into the well of the pan.

Viola!  Easy Peasy!

Next you will want to slice the three strips of bacon.

Add the bacon and butter to your soup pot.

Make sure the pot itself is cold.

We want to render the fat of the bacon, not just cook it. 

Turn the flame on medium/high and let the bacon render down.

This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

You will know that the bacon is ready when you see the bacon foam.

No, I'm not kidding.  Bacon Foam!  I am not making this stuff up.

Remove the bacon bits from the pan and set aside on a paper towel.

To the bacon grease, add the diced potatoes and allow the to cook for 3 minutes.

Oh, I should have mentioned this before, while my bacon was cooking, I took that time to prep the rest of my vegetables. 

After 3 minutes the potatoes will be slightly brown. 

Add the vegetables and allow them to cook down for two minutes more.

While the vegetables are cooking, add the thyme,

 and cayenne.

It's time to add the corn,

Chicken bullion (I was out of stock so I am improvising.  Don't tell)

and flour.

Mix it all together until everything is evenly coated

Return the bacon to the pan and

Add the water or stock if that is what you have. 

Let the water cook until it thickens.  This won't take long at all.

Once thick, it is time to add the half and half.

Cover, and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.

Take this time to grate the cheese.

I am using a sharp white cheddar here, but you can use any kind that you like.

After 15 minutes, remove the soup from the heat, add the cheese, stir until the cheese has melted and then the chowder is ready!

I had some day old bread so I decided to make some yummy homemade croutons to go with is.

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. Olive Oil

Add the cubed bread and brown.

Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle up a bowl, add some of your homemade croutons, and top with a little chopped parsley.

This truly is the perfect meal for a rainy summer day!  You get the sweetness of the corn, softness of the potatoes, crispness of the vegetables, saltiness of the bacon, and the faint hint of spice from the cayenne. 

Perfectly balanced and perfectly scrumptious!

So give this Rainy Day Sweet Corn Chowder a try!  I know you are going to love it!

As Always...

Happy Reading, Happy Eating, and Happy Living,

~The Kitchen Wife~