Ah summer…slipping away so quickly. The nights are crisp, the days pleasant and Labor Day is almost upon us. How do you come and go with such ease? We wish you would stay longer, but we will celebrate you while we still can.
I believe I have mentioned my obsession with corn. The end of summer, means the end of corn on the cob and that makes me sad. But even when the frigid wind is howling outside my kitchen window, I will still be able to make this soup and remember the warm, still-sunny evenings when I made it…and I will rest in the fact that the seasons will once again change and summer WILL come around again!
Ingredients
7 Slices bacon, chopped
1 Vidalia onion, diced
1 Red bell pepper, diced
1 Habanero, cleaned and minced (use a jalapeno if you can’t handle the heat J)
3 Cloves garlic, minced
¼ Cup flour
4 Cups chicken stock (I like unsalted)
2 Large red potatoes, diced into ¾ inch cubes
1 Cup fat free half and half (or you can use heavy cream)
16 Ounces frozen corn
¼ Teaspoon cayenne
1 Bay leaf
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
Step 1
I love roasting vegetables because it adds so much flavor to them naturally. When I made this, I decided to try roasting the corn kernels and it worked! You could obviously use corn still on the cob and grill it for even more flavor if you are so inclined…but this is what I did: I set the oven to 375 degrees. Then I placed the corn on a baking pan and drizzled 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on top. I mixed the corn around and then arranged it in a single layer. The corn roasted in the oven for 10 minutes and then I stirred it. It roasted for another 6 – 8 minutes (until it had a little color, but hadn’t lost all of its moisture). Then I let it cool while I worked. But while the corn is roasting, you can start the bacon and prep the veggies in Step 2…
Step 2
Get a heavy bottomed pot heating on the stove over medium-high heat. Chop the bacon into ½ inch “lardons” (a fancy French word for small pieces of bacon J) and place them in the pot. While then begin to brown, you can begin prepping the veggies; just make sure you check on the bacon and stir it occasionally. When it is browned, remove the pan from the heat. Dice the Vidalia onion. Then clean out the seeds and veins from the bell pepper and dice it. Mince the garlic and small dice the red potatoes, without peeling them. Finally, to prepare either the habanero or the jalapeno, don some gloves and remove the seeds and veins before mincing. Whew! At this point, the corn should be out and cooling and the bacon should be finished. Remove the bacon to a plate covered with paper towels. Leave 2 Tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot (discard the rest or save it…your call), add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and proceed…
Step 3
Vegetables Sauteing
Flour at Blond Stage
Simmering after Water is Added
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and red bell pepper to the pot. Add some salt and pepper and sauté the vegetables until they are tender (approximately 5 minutes). Add the habanero or jalapeno and the garlic and sauté them for 1 minute. Now stir in the flour until it is evenly distributed through the vegetables and has reached the “blond” stage (it will only take about 1 minute). Stir in the chicken stock and potatoes and then cover the pot. When the soup begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just becoming tender.
Step 4
It’s time to add the half and half, corn, cayenne and the bay leaf. At this point, taste it and add salt and pepper to your own taste. Then cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve the soup topped with some of the bacon.
Enjoy this ode to summer - all year long!
