Potato and Corn Chowder with Smoked Fish

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)

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Introduction

As soon as the temperature drops, I start craving soup. This chowder is especially good in the early fall when there is still, if you're lucky, fresh corn at the farmers' market. Instead of thickening the soup with flour, I opt to make the broth thicker by mashing some of the potatoes and vegetables in the chowder. The result is fresh-tasting and satisfying.

Ingredients

4 bacon slices
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
2 peppers, either red bell or Anaheim (which will give the soup a little heat), cut into quarter-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups red potatoes, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups of corn, cut off the cob (or frozen kernels)
1 qt. chicken broth (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 4 cups water)
2 fresh thyme stems (or ½ tsp. dried thyme, freshly crumbled)
1 cup half-and-half
½ lb. smoked wild-caught salmon or trout
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

In a large, heavy soup pot, fry bacon until just crispy. Remove from pan and reserve; when cool, crumble it into bits.
Cook the onion in the bacon fat (adding olive oil if there isn't enough bacon fat to cover the bottom of the pan) over medium heat until the onion turns translucent, about 10 minutes. Add peppers and continue cooking until peppers begin to soften and the edges of the onions are beginning to brown, 10 more minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add potatoes, corn, chicken broth, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, another 10 minutes or so.
With a potato masher, smash some of the potatoes and vegetables in the pot. Stir in half-and-half and heat gently, over low heat, until heated through (do not boil). Turn off heat and stir in two-thirds of the smoked fish. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Ladle soup into cups or bowls and garnish with reserved crumbled bacon and chunks of smoked fish.