Fresh Corn Chowder
Makes about 6 cups. Adapted from Joy of Cooking, Irma s. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Beker and Ethan Becker.
- Place in a soup pot and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until it releases all of its fat and is beginning to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes:
4 slices bacon, chopped
Leaving the bacon in the pan, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add and cook, stirring, until tender and slightly browned, 10- to 15 minutes:
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
Remove the kernels from:
- 6 small ears of corn
Reserve the kernels and add the cobs to the soup pot along with:
- 4 ½ cups milk
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
Push the corn cobs into the milk to fully submerge them. Bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cobs. Stir in the reserved corn kernels along with:
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- Simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Will a slotted spoon, remove 1 ½ cups solids from the soup and puree until smooth. Return to the soup and add:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Let stand until the butter is melted, then stir. Ladle into warmed bowls.