half and half | dish & tell

This recipe is delicious, and its recent existence in my life may just mark the beginning of a New England food-kick. And possibly the beginning of a bad-joke era; I figure that since we’re dealing with corn I can make all the corny jokes I want. But I’ll try to refrain.

Swimsuit season is just around the corner. Yes, despite this never-ending wave of humdrum weather I am indeed still hopeful that the sun will come out tomorrow. So, instead of providing a gateway to stuffing-yourselves-silly with thick, carb-crazy soups (I’ll save that for hibernation season) I’ve decided to recreate this light, tasty-looking chowder.

The base of this soup is not thick like many other chowders you may have had before, but its light broth and medley of summer vegetables is sure to have you coming back for seconds. It packs a punch due to the poblano chile added and can be thickened using crushed ship biscuit or any other type of chowder-worthy cracker, if you desire.

Summer Corn Chowder

(From Martha – Serves 4 large bowls)

4 tsp. bacon, diced (for garnish)

1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

8 sprigs thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

3 ears corn, kernels removed

5 oz. fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices (or any small potato)

1 poblano chile, seeded and diced

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

Place bacon in small stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is deep golden brown and all the fat has been rendered, about 4 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel, and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

Add onions, celery, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste to stockpot; cook over medium-low heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes.

Add corn, potatoes, and chile; cook until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme. Add half-and-half, and simmer until soup is hot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and garnish with the reserved crisp bacon pieces.