Chef Jacks Corn Chowder Food

CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).
• Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S BAY SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until fat renders and bacon is slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion to bacon; cook and stir until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir celery and garlic into onion mixture, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Pour clam juice, chicken broth, potato, cayenne pepper, and black pepper into bacon mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir cream and chile pepper into potato mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are completely tender and chowder flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Season with lemon zest and salt.
• Stir scallops into chowder and cook over medium heat until scallops are tender and white, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.

CHEF JOHN'S JUST CORN SOUP

Steps:

• After cutting corn from kernels, scrape the cob using the dull side of the knife to collect the sweet milky liquid at the base of the kernels. Toss corn kernels to separate them and make sure no corn silk remains.
• Place half of the the kernels in a saucepan and half in the bowl of a blender. Add cold water to the blender. Blend on highest setting until completely smooth, 1 or 2 minutes. Pour mixture into saucepan containing the rest of the corn. Place pot on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. When mixture begins to simmer, stir and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Continue to simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to lowest setting and add butter. Using an immersion blender, mix soup in several pulses until butter emulsifies into the soup and mixture comes together and looks creamy, about 30 seconds.

CHEF JACK'S CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt 1 stick of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned; set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the corn and chicken stock in another saucepan, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling stock with the corn (a little at a time) into the saucepan with the roux, whisking briskly so it doesn't lump. Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick.
• In a small saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half; stir it into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Just before serving, cut the remaining stick of butter into large chunks. Add it to enrich the soup, stirring until the butter melts. (This added butter could be optional).

CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a large wide pot. Toss in the bacon and bring the pan to a low to medium heat. Cook the bacon slowly, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has let off a lot of fat and is crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Don't rush this step...you WANT the fat to melt out of the bacon. When the bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot and reserve it on paper towels.
• Add the onions and jalapenos to the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Season with salt and cook until the onions are soft and very aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add half of the corn kernels, the cobs, half of the potatoes, bay leaves and stock. Season with salt. Bring the soup to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS) and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the corn cobs from the chowder and let cool. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, regular blender or food processor in batches, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, toss in the remaining potatoes and 1 cup water. Add the sugar and chipotle powder. Bring the soup to a medium heat and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Stir the soup frequently to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom.
• While the potatoes are cooking in the soup, run a knife up the cooled corn cobs to scrape the yummy little pieces of the corn closest to the cob off--this is the most delicious corn-y goodness!!! When the potatoes are cooked, toss in the remaining corn, the corn cob scrapings and the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed.
• Serve immediately topped with the chives and reserved crispy bacon.
• Corn hole-in-one!!!!

CORN CHOWDER WITH CHILIES AND MONTEREY JACK

Steps:

• Cut the corn kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife, capturing as much of the juice as you can.
• Reserve 3/4 cup of the corn kernels and puree the rest with the heavy cream in a food processor or blender.
• Reserve until needed.
• Cook the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.
• Add the onion, pepper, celery and garlic.
• Cover and reduce heat to low.
• cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the broth, potato and tomatoes, including their juices.
• Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Skim any fat from the surface of the soup and discard.
• Add the pureed corn and cream, the reserved corn kernels, the chiles and the cheese.
• Warm the soup and season with salt, pepper and tabasco to taste.