Corn and bacon chowder

OK, so I'm not dead. It just took me a year (and six days) to think about what I wanted to do with this blog. I know I don't sound very smart right now, but I am, or at least that's what I like to consider myself. The truth is I kept delaying to publish new recipes but that didn't stop the days, weeks and months from passing by. It seems like it was only yesterday that my hubby designed my logo and I started this blog. Except it wasn't.

All in all, this blog isn't going to be all about desserts anymore. Because I can cook, too, not just bake. Well, I'm a better baker than I am a cook, but still... If I can do it, well, I guess you can, too. This being said, let's cook!

I have been wanting to try a corn soup/chowder for a while now, so I have decided to give it a go; after all, if it wasn't going to taste good, my dog would love it anyway. 

Here's what you need in case you decide to try this chowder: 

150 grams frozen corn

150 grams bacon

200 grams champignon mushrooms (optional)

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 small celery root (smaller than the potato), peeled and diced

1 small onion, diced

750 ml to 1 l water. You can use chicken stock if you prefer, I have only tried this with water.

250 ml milk or sour cream

salt, pepper

chives for garnish

I used a 2,5 l Dutch oven for this recipe, but you can use any pot you have on hand, it really doesn't matter.

Start by heating the pot over medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel to absorb the grease. Discard all but 1 tbsp of bacon fat, add the onion and sautee for 5 minutes. Add the diced potato, the celery root and about 400 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 30 min. Some of the potatoes will have broken up, but most should retain their shape. This is a good time to use the back of your spoon to smash the vegetables against the side of the pot. Or you could place half the amount in a blender and process until smooth, adding it back to the pot once you have reached the desired texture. For the record, I did not smash or mix or blend the vegetables, I am a rebel like that. Or lazy.

Add the corn (I haven't defrosted it, I've just pulled it out of the freezer when I was preparing all the ingredients, so it was just beginning to thaw) and the chopped mushrooms, if using. This chowder works just fine without mushrooms, but I had a few left from the day before and I thought what the heck! let's be creative!

Stir in the milk and the remaining water (if necessary). My advice is to add the milk or sour cream first, and then the water (or chicken stock) until you reach the desired consistency. Season with pepper and a very small amount of salt, keeping in mind that the bacon may be salty.

Increase the heat and as soon as the chowder has come back to a boil and thickened slightly, reduce the heat to low and add the bacon. Simmer for about 10 minutes, remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to develop and blend. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the chopped chives.