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Fresh Corn Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Corn chowder evokes daydreams of lazy summer or precious early fall picnic-table meals. The best versions are thick and lush, showcasing the clear, sweet flavor of farm-fresh corn without obscuring it with too much dairy. Start this one by cooking chopped bacon in a Dutch oven and using the rendered fat to sauté onion and garlic; this creates a richly flavored base that balances the corn's sweetness. Of course, the chowder's star ingredient is the corn. For maximum corn flavor, use both grated corn and corn milk—the liquid that comes from scraping the cobs with the back of a butter knife—before stirring in whole kernels toward the end. A combination of whole milk and heavy cream adds just the right amount of richness, and a few tablespoons of stirred-in flour thickens the chowder. This soup definitely tastes best with sweet corn from the height of the season; beware of trying to recapture sweet summer memories in the wintertime by substituting frozen corn."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 10 ears corn, husks and silk removed
â—¦ 4 slices bacon, chopped fine
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 3 cups chicken broth
â—¦ 2 cups whole milk
â—¦ 12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¼-inch pieces
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley


Recipe

Working with one ear of corn at a time, stand four ears on end inside large bowl and cut kernels from cob using paring knife. Grate remaining 6 ears over large holes of box grater into separate bowl. Using back of butter knife, scrape remaining pulp from all cobs into bowl with grated corn.

Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until rendered and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 second. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and milk, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in potatoes, bay leaves, and grated corn and pulp mixture. Bring to simmer and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in remaining corn kernels and cream.
Continue to simmer until corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 6 to 8