Shelly's Recipe

CORN CHOWDER WITH PANCETTA

Category: Chowders

About 6 ears fresh corn
3-1/2 cups water
1 ounce pancetta, finely minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 small yellow onion, minced (1 cup)
Salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme tied together with twine
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

Shuck corn and slice kernels from the cobs, reserving cobs. You should have 6 to 7 cups of kernels; set aside. Combine the corn cobs and 3-1/2 cups water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the corncobs simmer, combine pancetta and 2 tablespoons of butter in small skillet set over medium heat and cook until pancetta has rendered much of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add onion and pinch salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Remove corncobs from broth in stockpot; discard cobs. Add pancetta-onion mixture to broth along with bay leaves, thyme and all but 1-1/2 cups of corn kernels. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium and simmer until corn is very tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove chowder from heat and take out the thyme and bay leaves. Stir in the half-and-half. In batches, puree chowder in blender until smooth; strain through a fine-meshed strainer into rinsed stockpot. Discard solids. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and cayenne and keep warm over low heat.

In medium skillet over medium-high heat melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add reserved 1-1/2 cups corn and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until corn is tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Toss in sage and cook an additional 30 seconds. Divide chowder equally among bowls and garnish with sauteed corn; serve immediately. (The chowder will settle in the pot as it stands, so make sure to stir before serving.)