Roasted Corn and Bacon Chowder

Sweet and creamy with just the right amount of smokiness from the bacon, and extra special because the stock is made from the corn cobs.  Fresh picked sweet corn is  here in Newburyport  and I found 6 perfect ears which were destined for this fantastic chowder during a quick trip to the Newburyport Farmer’s Market. I do love having the Farmer’s Market here.  What a great first year our market has had, and an inspiration for making delicious recipes using the food produced by our local farms!

If you’ve never made a fresh corn cob stock, I encourage you to try it – the fresh stock makes a lot of difference, and does not take too much time – it has only a few ingredients and the resulting taste is incomparable. The cooking will pull all the flavor from the heart of the kernels left behind after cutting the corn off the stalks. Otherwise substitute prepared vegetable broth.

Begin the recipe by roasting the corn:

Husk the ears, remove the silk and oil the ears lightly with cooking oil. Place on a shallow pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, turn and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. When cooled, remove the kernals from the ears and set aside. When the corn is done, use the hot oven to bake 6 slices of bacon, cooking for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked.

How to remove the corn kernels:

Break the ears in half, which makes a more stable way to remove the kernels. Place the flat end of the ear firmly upright on a cutting board and starting from the top, cut firmly down the cob. Keep a steady hand while doing this, and don’t worry about getting every little bit…the cobs will be used to make the stock, so there’s nothing that will go to waste. Also, don’t be too aggressive in getting as close to the cob as you can – small tough bits of the cob will likely end up in the chowder which is not a great thing to chew on!  With the kernels removed, use the cobs to make a fresh stock.

 Recipe for fresh corn cob stock:

• 6 corn cobs, stripped of kernels
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and rough-chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and rough-chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Several grinds black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a soup pot with enough water to cover the cobs (5-6 cups) and simmer for about an hour. Strain the stock and you are all set to make the chowder.

Recipe for Corn and Bacon Chowder:

• 5 cups homemade corn stock (substitute with packaged vegetable stock)
• Corn kernels from 6 ears, with some kernels reserved for garnish
• 1 small slice salt pork
• 6 slices baked bacon, diced
• 2 medium all-purpose potatos, peeled and cut into very small dice
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt

Directions:

 Sear the slice of salt pork in a large soup kettle for a few minutes, add three cups of corn stock, the corn you’ve cut from the cobs, the onion, bay leaf, thyme, a few grinds of black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and simmer down until the onion is soft and translucent (about 15 minutes). Remove the bay leaf and salt pork slice and using an immersion blender, give the mix a few quick whizzes. Alternatively, add a cup of the mix to a food processor, give a few pulses and add back into the pot. This process helps thicken the chowder and ensures the flavor won’t be diluted by the cream.

Put your salt pork and bay leaf back into the pot, add two diced potatoes, 1 cup corn stock and the cream to cover the potatoes. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are very soft, then squish some of the potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken, adding as much of the final cup of stock (stirring between times) until the chowder is as thick as you like. Cut your baked bacon into small pieces, add to the chowder and simmer very gently for 5-10 more minutes. Correct for salt and pepper, and you are done!  Garnish with some of the corn kernals, bacon bits and serve with crackers or buttered and toasted baguette slices.