Corn Chowder

Roasting Corn

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 lb. bacon

1 lb. fully cooked diced ham

1 large sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 48 oz. box of low sodium chicken stock

1 quart of 2% milk

3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

4 cups of fresh corn kernels

1 tsp. white pepper (black will work, just more visible)

1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

2 dashes cayenne pepper

Preparation:

In a large soup pot, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil. Heat pan over medium heat.

Slice the package of bacon across the sort end, making 1/4 inch pieces. Add bacon to the pan and stir.

Continue until bacon pieces are crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Pour grease into a bowl. leave the brown bits in the bottom of the pan, they add flavor.

While the bacon is cooking, start chopping the garlic, onion and carrots.

Measure 2 Tbsp. of grease back into the pan. Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and thyme.

Stir until the vegetables are good and soft, approxmately 8-10- minutes.

Dust the vegetables with the flour and stir to coat everything well.

 Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the potatoes and milk, stir to mix the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a hard boil and boil for 8 minutes or until the potatoes break down (this will aid in thickening the soup and provide texture).

Cut the kernels off the cob, scraping the cob with your knife to extract all the juice. Add the corn to the pot and stir.

Next add the diced ham and season with the Old Bay Seasoning, pepper and cayenne.

Simmer until the corn is soft, about 10-12 minutes.

Taste the chowder and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top with crumbled bacon and serve with a hearty bread.

....and that my friends, is Whats Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!