Recipe: Soup's On! - Corn Chowder

Fall is a great time for homemade soup. Most homemade soups are simple and easily made from things you probably already have in the cupboard, fridge, or freezer.

They are also very forgiving recipes. You can get creative and add something you've never tried before, "just because you can." It's also easy to substitute one similar item for another, if you're missing an ingredient.
My grandmother was a "little bit of this and a little bit of that" cook. On the other hand, I prefer to have a plan and an idea of where I'm going, but as I've had more experience in cooking I've grown to appreciate her method. So my recipe below reflects that.

Time is another huge variable in the creation of soup. You can make quick soups, or you can make one that simmers on the stove or in the crockpot for much of the day. It's up to you.

Soups are a favorite fall dish, and simply satisfying.

Last week, I got the urge to make corn chowder. It was a matter of a little bit of chopping and simmering, and while it was simmering I could sit down and read a magazine for a few minutes at a time. I found several recipes online and in The Joy Of Cooking, and decided to mix and match to suit my taste, using what I had in the house. Better yet, several of the ingredients were left from the last few Farmers Markets, so I could feel a little more virtuous than usual.

It was a huge success, so I'll share it with you here--at least as well as I can remember it.

Corn Chowder
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
Brown the bacon over medium-low heat until it begins to crisp, about 15 minutes. Reserve about two tablespoons of the fat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, and jalapeno, stirring til tender and lightly browned.
2 c. corn
4-1/2 c. milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
Add the milk and potatoes to the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, reducing heat immediately and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn (I used some that I'd frozen from the Farmers Market, but you could use canned or commercially frozen corn) to the mixture, along with salt and pepper to taste. I added a dash of cayenne pepper to give the soup a little zip. Two dashes might have been even better.
Simmer until corn is tender and all ingredients are heated through. Add a tablespoon of unsalted butter and stir until melted.
My recipes suggested thickening the soup by removing 1-1/2 c. solids from the pot and pureeing with a food processor. That works fine if you have the time and inclination, but you could also thicken it with potato flakes or a cornstarch mixture. I garnished the soup with grated cheddar cheese and parsley when serving.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.