This recipe for creamy corn chowder boasts layers upon layers of flavor. It starts with sweet, fresh summer corn. Instead of relying on chicken broth, you’ll use the sheared cobs to make a Parmesan-corn broth for the chowder’s base. Want to make it year-round, even when corn’s not in season? You still won’t need store-bought stock. A combination of mushroom stems, fresh herbs, and cheese rinds make for a tasty broth, even if the corn flavor won’t be as potent. Pro-tip for mid-winter corn chowder makers: leave the canned corn on the shelf; frozen corn will taste fresher and have a better texture.
Sautéing the corn kernels in butter before adding them to the soup pot concentrates their flavor—you’re looking to cook off most of the juices and pick up a bit of caramelization. You’ll deglaze the pan with white wine (a crisp, dry pinto grigio would do well here) before sautéing a bit of diced thick-cut bacon in the same pan. For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon, but replace it with extra shiitake mushrooms and sauté them until golden brown (reserve some crispy bits for topping the soup) before adding in the rest of the veg.
We like the creamy texture russet potatoes add here, but Yukon Gold potatoes would also do well. We also go all in on richness, adding a dose of heavy cream. For a lighter broth, whole milk will be fine, but you could also use coconut milk for a vegan version (replace the butter with a dairy-free alternative).
Need a little more guidance? Watch Carla make the corn chowder here.
Recipe information
Yield
8 Servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Place cobs in a medium pot and add Parmesan rinds, if using, mushroom stems, thyme, bay leaf, 2 tsp. salt, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until broth is fragrant and reduced by half, 40–50 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids and set broth aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 4 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Add corn kernels, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender and juices have evaporated and browned on the bottom of the pot, 12–15 minutes. Reserve ½ cup corn for serving; transfer remaining corn to a medium bowl.
Step 3
Add wine to pot and cook, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is syrupy, about 2 minutes. Scrape into bowl with remaining corn.
Step 4
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in same pot over medium and cook bacon until golden brown and fat has rendered, about 6 minutes. Add potatoes, shallots, leek, garlic, and chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened but haven’t taken on any color, 12–15 minutes. Add chiles and cook until fragrant and softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until nutty and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved broth, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, 10–15 minutes. Add cream and corn mixture and cook, stirring, until chowder has thickened, 5–10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in marjoram. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
Step 5
Divide chowder among bowls. Top with parsley, oyster crackers, and reserved ½ cup corn; season with pepper.
