Author Notes
This recipe was inspired by the corn chowder served at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and that recipe can be found in the cookbook, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse by John Stage and Nancy Radke. While most think that potato soups (unless it is a vichyssoise) should be served in the colder months, I absolutely love to serve this chowder on a summer night by the ocean, when the temps hover around 70 degrees. It provides just enough warmth to sooth the soul without breaking a sweat. Fresh corn is definitely the way to go here and don't skimp on the bacon either! —onetinyspark
Ingredients
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1/4 pound
smoked applewood bacon, diced
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1 cup
Vidalia or yellow onion, diced
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32 ounces
chicken stock
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2 cups
freshly roasted corn kernels
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1 cup
carrots, diced
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1 tablespoon
butter
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1 tablespoon
garlic, minced
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2 tablespoons
flour
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4 cups
red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
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1 cup
half-and-half
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1/2 teaspoon
fresh thyme
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2 tablespoons
fresh Italian parsley
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1 dash
cayenne pepper
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salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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Melt butter over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or whatever you prefer to make soup in. Throw in the bacon and cook until crisp. Scoop out the bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Save these bits for later and try not to eat them every time you walk past them on the counter!
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Keep about 1/4 cup of fat from the bacon in the pot. Add in the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent. Then throw in the garlic, cooking it for roughly 1 minute. Sprinkle on the flour, being sure to mix it into the onions and garlic completely.
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Next, pour in the broth and the diced potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Then add in the shredded carrots and corn.
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Cover again and simmer everything 15-30 minutes longer so that the flavors can meld.
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Finally, stir in the half-and-half. Season the soup with the thyme, cayenne, a bit more salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
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When you’re ready to eat, throw in the parsley and the bacon bits and give it a few good stirs. I also added some chopped chives and freshly grated Pecorino Romano to my bowl (since I need cheese added to everything…). Cheddar or Gouda could work nicely too.
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