SRC: Little Bit of Everything Corn Chowder

It's time for Group B's Secret Recipe Club November reveal. This month I was assigned to Little Bit of Everything, penned by Julie. Julie identifies herself as a 50 something midwesterner who loves to cook, travel and garden. She collect spoons, building upon a collection started by her mother. Her blog, she writes, is a creative journey through her 100+ volume cookbook collection, newspaper and magazine clippings, newly found recipes and baking groups. Nice!

The weather is definitely turning. So, I had soups on the brain. Julie has some fantastic soups. I thought about making her Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup; Potato, Fennel, Leek Soup; Potato Leek Chowder Robusto; or Asian Sweet Potato Soup. I made minor changes to her recipe - adding bacon, sweet potatoes, and some fresh herbs - otherwise, I stayed fairly true to the recipe. It was fantastic! Thanks, Julie, for the inspiration.

Little Bit of Everything Corn Chowder

Inspired by Little Bit of Everything's Roasted Red Pepper Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 2 to 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 to 3 carrots, halved and sliced
• 4 to 5 potatoes, cubed
• 1 to 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 6 C organic chicken stock or broth
• 2 t ground coriander
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 2 C corn kernels
• 2 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T cold water
• 2 C organic half-and-half
• 2 t hot sauce (I used my Haute Hop Sauce; Julie used Tabasco. Use what you have!)
• 2 T fresh herbs, chopped (I used thyme, oregano, and parsley. Use what you have!)
• freshly ground salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure

In a large souppot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered but the bacon is not crisp. Stir in the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are begin to turn translucent. Add the potatoes and sweet potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes more. Pour in the the broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes soften but still hold their shape, approximately 15 minutes. Add in the coriander, bay leaves, and corn kernels. Return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch-water mixture. Bring soup back up to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the half-and-half, hot sauce, and fresh herbs. Heat to warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

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