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Soups and Stews


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 jalapeno, stems and seeds removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
10 ears corn, kernels cut off the cobs, cobs reserved
6 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch-dice and reserved in water
2 bay leaves
2 quarts veggie or chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch fresh chives, thinly sliced

Put the olive oil in a large wide pot. Toss in the bacon and bring the pan to a low to medium heat. Cook the bacon slowly, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has let off a lot of fat and is crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Don't rush this step…you WANT the fat to melt out of the bacon. When the bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot and reserve it on paper towels.

Add the onions and jalapenos to the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Season with salt and cook until the onions are soft and very aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add half of the corn kernels, the cobs, half of the potatoes, bay leaves and stock. Season with salt. Bring the soup to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS) and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the corn cobs from the chowder and let cool. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, regular blender or food processor in batches, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, toss in the remaining potatoes and 1 cup water. Add the sugar and chipotle powder. Bring the soup to a medium heat and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Stir the soup frequently to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom.

While the potatoes are cooking in the soup, run a knife up the cooled corn cobs to scrape the yummy little pieces of the corn closest to the cob off--this is the most delicious corn-y goodness!!! When the potatoes are cooked, toss in the remaining corn, the corn cob scrapings and the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed.
Serve immediately topped with the chives and reserved crispy bacon.

Unrated