Corn Chowder. Up with Corn. Down With Eels.

by Martha Strom

Now that fall is upon us and winter is not far behind I'm in a chowder mood. So, motivated I dug into my cookbooks to do a little chowder research. I found at least a dozen great recipes for fish and clam chowders, some very good vegetable chowders and even one really disgusting one for Eel Chowder in James Beard's American Cookery (a great cookbook, nonetheless). It graphically describes how to prepare an eel for chowder by skinning it, cutting off its head and removing its innards. An eel is one ugly fish! By the time I got the eel prepared I'd be in no mood to cube the potatoes and chop the onions. Guess if I can't prepare an eel I'll never be declared chef of the year.

Well, by the time I finished reading the recipe for Eel Chowder, as good as I'm sure the finished dish is, I decided to move on to a vegetable chowder. Corn - corn has no head or innards and it can be skinned easily. Corn Chowder I know. Corn Chowder I have a great recipe for. Corn Chowder is easy, fast and delicious. So three cheers for corn, down with eels. Here's a truly outstanding recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

CORN CHOWDER

  • 4 to 6 slices lean bacon, diced
  • 1 can (16 oz.) chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 - 2/3 cup)
  • 1 can (15 oz.) cream style corn
  • 1 small red bell pepper (1/2 cup)
  • 2 cups fresh corn (2 lg. ears) or frozen
  • 2 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups half & half
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley garnish (optional)
  • Note: In a pinch you can substitute evaporated milk for the half and half.

Sauté the bacon until crisp in a soup pot. Pour off the excess fat and remove the bacon to a paper towel and crumble. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the bacon fat. Add the potatoes and pour on the chicken broth to cover the potatoes. Add a little water if there's not enough broth. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cream style corn. Cut corn kernels from the cob (scrape the cob for the last bits of corn and corn milk) and add kernels to chowder or add 2 cups frozen corn. If necessary you can substitute 1 can of whole kernel corn but its not as crisp as fresh or frozen. Stir to combine. Add half and half and salt and pepper to taste. Add butter and crumbled bacon at serving time. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if you have it on hand. This soup is nice and thick and full of flavor

Serve with French Bread and a crisp green salad dressed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the greener the better) and vinegar. Season with Cavenders All Purpose Greek Seasonings which is available at any grocery store and garnish with pitted Kalamata olives, sliced scallions and small vine ripe tomato wedges.

Now that beats cleaning an eel any day. Enjoy the chowder.

Love, Mom

Martha Strom is not convincingly squeamish enough to fool Your Editor, who recollects a South Carolina childhood dining on catches of catfish and eel (One guess who cleaned them.) Check out the Eats archive.

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