Description
Indulge in a delicious bowl of creamy corn chowder with crispy bacon. Learn how to make this comforting and flavorful soup on our cooking website today!
Ingredients
- 8 ears fresh corn (960g), husks and silk removed, kernels cut from corn
- 6 slices beef bacon, cut into lardons
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, finely chopped (about 11/2 cups (1320 ml))
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes (680g), cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3-4 medium potatoes)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine, or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 11/2 tsp (28 ml) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut cream
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Fresh chives for serving
- Baguette optional, for serving
Instructions
- Warm a large pot over medium-high heat and add the beef bacon pieces. Stir occasionally until they become crisp, around 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move them to a bowl lined with paper towels.
- In the same pot, pour in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and add the finely chopped onion. Stir from time to time until it softens, about 4-6 minutes. Mix in the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute.
- Incorporate the all-purpose flour, stirring until it’s fully integrated into the oil, about a minute. While whisking, slowly add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.
- Introduce the corn kernels, diced potatoes, tied fresh thyme, and a bay leaf to the pot. Season with salt, black pepper, and a bit of cayenne pepper for heat. Once it begins to simmer, cover and let it cook for 20-25 minutes. To enhance the corn flavor, consider adding some of the stripped corn cobs to the pot.
- (Optional) Remove the thyme, bay leaf, and any corn cobs, then blend half of the soup until smooth in a blender. Return the blended soup to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks if preferred.
- Pour in the coconut cream and most of the crispy bacon, keeping some for garnish, and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the corn chowder right away, topping with extra crispy bacon, freshly chopped chives, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and a dash of black pepper. It pairs well with a baguette for dipping!
Notes
- Consider using the corn cobs while simmering for added flavor.
- Blend half of the soup for a smoother texture before adding coconut cream.
- Save some crispy bacon to garnish for a satisfying crunch.
