The Secret Ingredient Is Corn

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If last night’s dinner was on Iron Chef, the secret ingredient would have been corn. For the main course, I served a warming corn and potato chowder, perfect for a snowy day. It was accompanied by a hearty cornbread. Why so much corn? I was mainly trying to use up the bag of frozen corn I opened (I didn’t quite succeed), plus the two dishes seemed to complement each other.

Since I started the soup early in the afternoon, I finished the corn and potato chowder in the slow cooker, but it would have worked just as well on the stovetop. My only issue was that I got hungry and turned off the slow cooker a little too early, so the potatoes were not as tender I would have liked (they were still edible, though).

This recipe is a little different than the previous one I used. I added bacon and thickened the soup with flour. Most chowders call for cream, but I omitted it, opting instead to stir in a spoonful of sour cream just before serving. The updated recipe is below.

To go with it, I made cornbread in a skillet (which is the best way, in my opinion). I wanted something hearty, so I added more corn and grated cheddar. It was delicious, and leftovers will be tasty as a snack or breakfast.

Corn & Potato Chowder

Serves: 4
Time to make: ~30 minutes

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• ½ medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. bouquet garni or dried thyme
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 cups chicken stock or water
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 cups corn, thawed if frozen
• a few drops of Tabasco or 1 4-oz. can roasted chiles
• salt to taste
• shredded Monterey Jack and/or sour cream for garnish

Crisp the bacon over medium. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until translucent. Add the herbs and flour, and cook 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, whisking. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Reduce to a simmer; let simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, transfer the soup to the slow cooker and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Season to taste. Garnish as you like.

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Tagged: Corn, Cornbread, Freezes well, Potatoes, Slow cooker, Soups