Smoky Corn Chowder

It must be corn season, because there's a sale for fresh corn almost every week.  As much as I love munching on the kernels off the cob, I was itching for a little variety.


Smoky Corn Chowder
(makes for 4 servings)

ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
 
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbs. smoked paprika

• 1 pinch crushed red pepper

• 4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
 
• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 cup cream

• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper


directions

1. Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Drain all but 1Tbs. bacon fat, if you have that much in the pot.
2. Add the onions to the pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté another minute.
3. Add the fresh corn to the pot and toss to combine. Sauté. 
4. Add the stock and cream to the pot. Stir to combine. Keep on a low simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
5. With an immersion blender, place it in the pot and pulse it a few times until about half of the soup becomes creamy, still leaving whole kernels as well. If you don’t have an immersion blender, ladle about a cup and a half of the soup into a blender and pulse until creamy. Pour back into the pot and stir to combine.

variations

shrimp - Saute the shrimp in bacon fat, remove then continue with Step 2.  Garnish with shrimp.

potato - After adding the onions and sautéing, add potato and rest of Step 2.