Fresh Corn Chowder

Last week I wrote about embracing the fall season but mentioned I wasn’t quite ready to make a pot of soup just yet. I could get behind the seasons cozy flavors but I didn’t necessarily want cozy warm food just yet.

And just a few days later, here I am sharing a soup recipe. In my humble defense, this is a summery soup, perfect for these glorious early fall days. The stove doesn’t stay on long and the ingredients can easily be scooped up at your favorite farm stand or farmers market. (Of course, you can grab everything at the grocery store too).

My son walked into the kitchen while I was puttering around, prepping this recipe. He suspiciously made a loop around the island, stopping at the stove peering over my shoulder, stirring the pot and announced ‘Mom, you’re back at it! This smells so good.’

I definitely laughed out loud at his comment. It’s been months of turkey sandwiches on the run, scrambled eggs at all hours of the day and more fast food than I care to admit. And that’s ok. Life gets busy and sometimes that’s just the way it goes. But I couldn’t agree more, the soup really did smell good and it felt wonderful to spend a little time making something delicious for my family.

This easy chowder capitalizes on the fresh ingredients available to us right now. Corn is cheap and plentiful these days as are onions, potatoes and jalapeño. It took a few extra minutes to shuck the fresh corn but the flavor was over the top and worth the effort. As the season goes along, I’ll make this recipe again using frozen corn and I know it will be delicious, so don’t let the fresh corn stop you from making this recipe.

We ate steaming bowls of chowder with big hunks of buttered bread with the patio doors wide open, letting the cool night air blow through the house. The kids gobbled it up, which felt like a win, and we all decided we were a little disappointed there weren’t more leftovers for lunch the next day.

As always, don’t hesitate to make this recipe all your own. You could blend the entire pot of soup for a silky smooth and creamy soup. The jalapeño can be skipped altogether or leave it to the side just for garnish. We used a little parmesan cheese for a topping but a shredded sharp cheddar cheese would be lovely too. Have fun with this easy recipe, I can guarantee your family and friends will love it.

Fresh Corn Chowder

• 1 medium yellow onion diced

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 6 slices center-cut bacon diced

• 2 pounds fresh corn kernels, divided (6-8 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cob)

• 6 cups Yukon gold potatoes diced, divided

• 1 jalapeño seeded and minced

• 2 32-ounce boxes organic low-sodium chicken stock

• 16 ounces sour cream

• 3 green onions minced

• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley minced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese for garnish

Slice bacon into bite-size pieces. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often until the bacon is golden and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside for later.

To the dutch oven (or any large pot will do just fine), add the onion, corn kernels, jalapeño and diced potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, stirring often, scraping up all the small little brown bits from the bottom of the pan. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic, cooking for an additional minute.

Turn the heat to low and add the chicken stock. Cover the pot halfway with the lid and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. When the potatoes have softened, turn the heat off to the soup. Allow the soup to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a ladle or large measuring cup to transfer half the soup to a blender. Pulse the soup until smooth and then transfer back to the pot. Give it a good stir to combine.

To the pot, add the cooked bacon pieces, sour cream, green onions and parsley to the soup. Add another generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust as necessary to your preference. This would be the time to add additional jalapeño or green onions and additional salt or pepper if needed.

Return the soup to a low simmer if the unblended corn and potatoes need a few extra minutes to soften a little more. Do not let the soup to come to a roiling boil, keep on a low heat, stirring often for an additional 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with leftover minced green onion and parsley, a pinch of parmesan cheese and extra jalapeño if desired. Serves 8.