Bacon Corn Chowder (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 7 fresh corn ears or 5 cups frozen corn kernels
02 - 4 strips of thick bacon
03 - 3 celery stalks, medium-sized
04 - 1 big yellow onion
05 - 2 average-sized carrots
06 - 1-pound Yukon gold potatoes (roughly 3 medium pieces)
07 - 2 garlic cloves
08 - 2 tablespoons regular flour
09 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (plus extra for taste)
10 - 3 cups chicken or veggie broth (low sodium)
11 - 1 can (15 ounces) of creamed corn
12 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground (adjust if needed)
14 - 1 cup heavy cream
15 - Small fresh chive bunch (about 1/4 cup)
16 - Oyster crackers for topping (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - Slice the thick bacon into small bits, about 1/2 inch across. Set a big, sturdy pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat and cook the bacon pieces, stirring now and then, until crispy and the fat has melted—this takes around 8 to 10 minutes. If you're going with fresh corn, pull off the husks and silk from 7 ears, shave off the kernels (you'll need about 5 cups), and hold on to the cobs.
02 - Use a slotted spoon to scoop the crisp bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels, keeping the rendered fat in the pot. Turn off the burner for now. Peel the onion, carrots, and potatoes, and dice them along with 3 celery stalks. Chop the onion into about 2 cups worth, carrots roughly 1 cup, and potatoes about 2 3/4 cups. Lastly, mince the 2 garlic cloves.
03 - Crank up the heat under the pot back to medium-high. Toss in the diced onion, carrots, corn kernels, celery, and about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir it around once in a while—give it about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly. Add in the minced garlic and let it cook a bit, around 30 seconds, just until you catch the aroma.
04 - Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the veggie mixture and mix until it's completely incorporated. You'll want it fragrant and evenly mixed—this should take about one minute.
05 - Pour in 3 cups of broth (your choice of chicken or veggie), the creamed corn, black pepper, and cayenne if you're using it. Stir everything together, then lower the heat to keep it at a light simmer. Let it cook until the potatoes soften and the flavors blend nicely, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, chop about 1/4 cup of chives into small pieces.
06 - Pull out and toss the corn cobs from the pot. Turn off the burner, then mix in the heavy cream. Taste and tweak the seasoning with more salt or pepper if you like. Dish it up and garnish individual bowls with crispy bacon and chopped chives. Add oyster crackers on top if you want an extra crunch.
07 - Let the chowder cool to room temp, then store it in a container with a tight seal in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, pour it into a pot and warm it gently on medium heat.

# Notes:

01 - You can get the chowder prepped up to two days in advance. Keep components like bacon and chopped chives stored separately in airtight containers.

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