Corn Chowder

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients first: finely dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, peel and dice the potatoes into 1 cm pieces, slice the chives, and if using fresh corn remove the kernels from the cob. Keeping the potato pieces small helps them cook within the 30-minute time frame.

   100 g yellow onion, finely diced80 g celery stalks, finely diced1 clove (5 g) garlic, minced250 g waxy potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cm10 g chives, finely sliced300 g corn kernels
2. 2

   In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon for 4-5 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered. Lift out the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside for finishing, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.

   80 g bacon
3. 3

   Add the butter, onion, and celery to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

   10 g unsalted butter100 g yellow onion, finely diced80 g celery stalks, finely diced1 clove (5 g) garlic, minced1 tsp (1 g) fresh thyme leaves
4. 4

   Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for 1 minute to coat the vegetables and cook off the raw taste. The mixture should look pasty rather than dry.

   12 g plain flour
5. 5

   Add the diced potatoes, corn kernels, and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes are fully tender when pierced with a knife.

   250 g waxy potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cm300 g corn kernels500 ml chicken broth
6. 6

   Use a potato masher to lightly crush some of the potatoes and corn directly in the pot, or blend about one-third of the soup briefly with a stick blender. This thickens the chowder while keeping plenty of texture.

7. 7

   Stir in the double cream, most of the crisp bacon, the salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes; do not boil hard after adding the cream or the texture can become less smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

   100 ml double cream80 g bacon4 g, or to taste fine salt1 g, or to taste black pepper
8. 8

   Ladle the chowder into warm bowls and top with the remaining bacon, sliced chives, and a little extra black pepper. Serve immediately.

   80 g bacon10 g chives, finely slicedto serve extra black pepper

Origin & History

Corn chowder is a classic American soup with roots in the broader chowder tradition of the Northeast, where hearty, creamy soups were made from local produce and preserved meats. Versions with sweet corn became especially popular as corn spread across home cooking in the United States, often paired with potatoes, dairy, and salt pork or bacon.