Corn Chowder

Saturday, July 28, 2012

New Jersey corn is legendary—whether yellow, white, or bi-color, it’s always really delicious. And, let’s face it, corn grown in Pennsylvania and Delaware is pretty darn good, too. Last weekend I picked up a few ears from one of the stands at the Lansdowne Farmers Market because I was dying for some good corn chowder. Even with the weather we’ve been having lately, it’s never too hot for a decent bowl of chowder. Admittedly, I’m pretty picky when it comes to chowder, though. Too creamy, and I feel smothered and heavy. Not creamy enough, and I’m disappointed.

Behold the perfect chowder:

All you need is about four cups of corn kernels (figure on five or six ears of corn), some bacon (the smoked bacon you can nab from the Fair Food Farmstand is phenomenal here), a couple of jalapeno peppers, a yellow onion, and some heavy cream from your favorite local producer, and a few other ingredients.

4 cups, corn kernels
3 slices, bacon (smoked if you can get it)
1.5 Tbsp., butter
3 jalapeno peppers
32 oz., chicken stock (homemade is preferred, but canned is fine)
1.5 cups, heavy cream
1 tsp. sea salt
4 Tbsp., corn meal
1/3 cup, water

Chop up the bacon into something between a dice and a chop and toss into a soup pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon for maybe three minutes and add the onion (diced). Saute in the bacon and bacon fat (my favorite phrase) for four minutes. Throw in the butter, corn kernels, and diced jalapeno, give the whole mess a stir, and cook for two minutes. Add the stock and cream, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Combine water and cornmeal, stir until the dry bits break up, and pour into chowder. Covered, let it cook down for about 20 minutes or so, until the texture is to your liking.

Makes 6-8 servings.