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First day of spring brings first harvest of local ingredients
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Celebrate spring with native Florida corn. © Dawn Viola
The first day of spring brings Orlando the promise of fresh, local produce - just picked peaches, asparagus, and the first signs of native sweet corn.
Grilled and simmered with tender onions, fennel and the unusual addition of vanilla bean, this spring corn chowder will make you wish the vernal equinox dropped by to say hello every day.
Serving size: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
6 ears Sweet white or yellow corn, silk and husks removed
3 strips Bacon, thick cut, no nitrates
1 tablespoon Butter
2 Sweet onions, minced
2 stalks Celery, minced
3/4 cup chopped Fennel bulb
6 cloves Garlic, minced
1 vanilla bean pod, split, seeds scraped
3 tablespoons All purpose flour
5 cups Chicken stock
1/2 cup Lakeridge Winery Pink Crescendo sparkling wine (Methode Champenoise)
1 tablespoon Fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup Organic cream
Salt to taste
Directions:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Brush each ear of corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast with the cover open until all sides are equally charred but not burned (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add the bacon to a Dutch oven or stock pot - do not preheat. Turn the heat to medium-low with the bacon in the pan, and allow the bacon fat to render. Increase the heat to medium after 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan when it becomes crispy and set aside. Do not drain the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and add the butter to the pan. Add the onion, celery and fennel, and increase the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt to taste. Sweat the vegetables until the onion is translucent. Add the vanilla bean seeds and garlic, stir to incorporate.
Immediately add the flour and stir to incorporate. A sticky paste will form in the pan. Continue to cook on medium until all of the fat is absorbed by the flour. Using a whisk to stir, slowly stream in 1 cup of chicken stock, while quickly whisking. The flour will begin to loosen. Whisk until smooth. Continue whisking in one cup of chicken stock at a time until all 6 cups are incorporated. Add the champagne. Taste for salt and add in 1/4 teaspoon (or a pinch) increments until the desired saltiness is reached.
Cut the roasted corn kernels from the cob and add half of the kernels to the pot, setting the rest aside. Add the corn cobs to the pot. Simmer on medium for 20 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent a rolling boil.
Remove the corn cobs from the pot and discard. Add the thyme and pepper. Using a hand blender, puree the soup inside the pot until just smooth.
Add the rest of the whole corn kernels to the post and stir to incorporate. Let simmer for 5 minutes on medium-low. Add the cream. Adjust seasoning by adding more salt, pepper and thyme as needed. Serve.
Serving suggestions:
This is an excellent base soup, which means it’s a perfect starting point for add-ins. Fresh crab or mild fish work very well with this recipe, as does the addition of spicy sausage. And the basic recipe can also be used with other light spring vegetables such as asparagus and leeks.
If you prefer a thinner chowder, reduce the amount of flour and thin with additional chicken stock. Or, if you prefer a creamier chowder, add in more fresh cream.
Dawn Viola is a nationally recognized artist, competitive cook and food writer. Read more of Dawn's Examiner articles, or follow her blog, Wicked Good Dinner, and onTwitter.
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