Corn Chowder, February 16, 2015

It's been bitterly cold here. It was 15 below when we awoke yesterday, so soup for supper was perfect. I have a Better Homes & Gardens Famous Foods from Famous Places cookbook from 1964 and the corn chowder recipe I chose came from the Publick House in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. You can still eat or sleep at the historic inn, which has been in operation since 1771 and is really lovely. They may even still serve corn chowder occasionally as the soup du jour. I changed some of the amounts, as well as the technique, to get the bacon crisper, and used chicken broth rather than water for a richer flavor. What resulted was a really cozy and delicious soup. With it, I served a spinach salad with blue cheese, dried cherries, and white balsamic vinaigrette (from a bag), Pugliese bread (from Trader Joe's), and canned peaches. Simple, quick, and yummy.

New England Corn Chowder

4 slices bacon (or 1-2 tbsp. olive oil)

1 onion, halved & thinly sliced 

2 cups chicken broth (you can sub water or veggie broth)

3 medium red potatoes, diced

Salt & pepper

2 cans cream-style corn

2 c. light cream (you can sub milk, even skim, and still have a good soup)

1 tbsp. butter (this can be omitted)

Cook bacon crisp in a large saucepan and remove to drain on paper-towel-lined plate. In same pan, cook onions until lightly browned. Remove excess fat. Add broth, potatoes, salt, and pepper to onions. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add corn and cream. Simmer another 5 minutes. Add butter and stir to melt. Crumble the bacon into the soup just before serving. Serves 4-6.