There is a certain point in late summer, in rural farming towns all across america, that the air itself starts smelling like ripe sweet corn! And everyone knows that the time is right to enjoy these little golden nuggets in as many meals as possible, before they are gone.
While I LOVE the minimalist approach to eating corn – barely cooked, rolled in butter, and sprinkled with salt, sometimes, during this time of year, you just want to fully commit and make it the whole meal! There are many great corn chowder recipes out there and mine is loosely based on a few I have tried – however, I add one simple step to take this really good soup to greatness!
The secret to making great soup is almost always in the broth and this recipe is no exception. I’ll show you how to make a simple corn stock out of the cooking liquid from the corn cobs. It is as easy as putting the cobs back in the cooking liquid after cutting off the kernels and letting them simmer while you prepare the rest of the recipe – no need to prepare the stock ahead. The other key to this soup’s deliciousness is in cooking all the veggies just enough to meld their flavors while preserving their summer freshness. The creamy, savory broth balances the sweet, juicy burst of fresh corn kernels in every bite. Yum!
Sweet & Creamy Corn Chowder
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Straight Sided Skillet & Med Soup Pot
- Large Stock Pot
- Tongs
- Large heatproof bowl
- Measuring Cups – liquid and dry
Ingredients
- 6 Ears Corn Shucked
- 3 Cups Corn Stock Instructions in Recipe
- 1 Large Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 1/2 Cup Carrots Chopped
- 1 1/2 Cup Celery Chopped
- 2 Cups White or Gold Potatoes Diced
- 1 Small Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell Pepper Or half a large Pepper
- 4 Tbsp Butter Half a Stick
- 4 Tbsp "Better Than Bullion" Roast Chicken Base Can substitute 4 chicken bullion cubes but I highly recommend "Better Than Bullion"
- 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 5 Sprigs Thyme Bundled with string (optional)
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Garlic Salt
- Salt & Pepper To taste
- 1 Lb Bacon Cooked in the oven to save stove top space
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 in preparation for cooking bacon
- Boil water for corn in a large stock pot (should be enough to cover all six ears of corn)
- Using tongs, place corn in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes
- Remove corn with tongs (reserving cooking liquid) and place in a large heatproof bowl
- Place a lid on stock pot and turn down heat to low to keep water hot
- Let corn cobs cool for at least 5 minutes (or until comfortable to handle) before using a sharp knife to slice kernels from cob
- Return cobs to stock pot and turn heat back up to high to bring water back to a boil
- After water returns to a boil, turn the heat back down to low and leave corn cobs simmering with the lid off until ready to use later on in the recipe
- Place bacon, spread in a single layer, on a cookie sheet and insert into preheated oven
- Set the timer for 15 minutes. The bacon will probably take about 20 to 25 minutes to cook (depending on thickness) but you should check it after 15 minutes and possibly turn the cookie sheet to ensure even cooking
- In the meantime heat dutch oven or straight sided skillet over medium to medium-low heat and add 2 Tbsps of butter
- Add diced onions and saute for 8-10 minutes – or until onions are translucent and turning golden brown in places
- Add 2 more Tbsps of butter and chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes to pan
- Saute for 10 minutes stirring often – if veggies start to stick, turn heat down a little and add a little more butter
- Tip: I always salt and pepper veggies while I am sauteing them rather than just at the end the way most recipes call for – I find that salting while cooking brings out the maximum flavor of each ingredient
- Take stock pot off heat and remove and discard cobs
- Next as veggies continue to cook over medium heat, sprinkle evenly with flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly to coat all veggies
- Add 1 cup of corn stock to veggies and stir until smooth
- If using skillet rather than dutch oven, transfer veggie mixture to soup pot at this point
- Add 2 more cups of stock and stir to incorporate
- Add thyme bundle and "Better Than Bullion" or bullion cubes – stir to dissolve
- Let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes uncovered stirring occasionally
- Add corn kernels, diced pepper, heavy cream, and 1 tsp garlic salt – cook for another 10 minutes uncovered stirring occasionally
- Remove from heat and add salt and black pepper to taste
- Remove bacon from oven, (if you haven't already) drain on a paper towel, and crumble into small pieces
- ladle soup into bowls, top with bacon crumbles and enjoy!
