Corn & Potato Chowder with Candied Bacon
If you live in Nashville, you’ve probably come to understand that around here weather is an event. A major event. If the winds are gusting 15 mph, the local meteorologist will break into your episode of The Good Wife and tell you to run for cover!
It’s no better with snow. If it’s going to snow next Tuesday, we may as well cancel school for the whole week. I can’t even imagine what will come of the deep freeze headed our way. My general rule of thumb is to not trust a meteorologist who does the weather in a cocktail dress…just saying.
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-160z. frozen roll of Pictsweet Cream Corn, defrosted
- 1 cup white corn, fresh or frozen
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced small
- 1/2 cup half and half
- salt and pepper
- 2 baking sheets lined with aluminum foil
- 1 package bacon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, light
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter melts.
- Add onions, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of flour to make a roux and continue to stir for about a minute.
- Pour in 4 cups of vegetable broth, stirring well.
- Add potatoes and bring to a simmering boil.
- Cook until potatoes are tender and falling apart.
- Gently mash up potatoes (they don't have to be completely mashed, just enough to add some thickness).
- Add the defrosted roll of Pictsweet Cream Corn and 1 cup of white corn, fresh or frozen.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in half and half, then season again with salt and pepper.
- Turn on low while you prepare the candied bacon.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- After lining baking sheets with aluminum foil, lay bacon out flat on the baking sheet.
- Mix together brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
- Generously rub both sides of the bacon with the brown sugar mixture.
- Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- I like my bacon more on the crispy side, so leave in longer until its cooked like you prefer.
- Remove bacon from oven.
- Transfer the pieces of bacon to a wire rack and let completely cool.
- The bacon will harden like it has a candy coating.
- Crumble a piece of candied bacon on top of each serving of chowder.
- The bacon can be store in an airtight container.
The secret to this delicious chowder is the roll of frozen Pictsweet Cream Corn, it’s as close as you can get to real thing! One of my other favorites is The Fresh Market Silver Queen Corn. You’d never guess that this thick and creamy chowder is much lower in fat than a traditional chowder recipe.
Stay Warm!
