Loving Spoonfuls
Indiana ears star in corn chowder By Andie Marshall Photos by Christina Richey
People frequently ask me to select a favorite soup. Instead of one soup, I name two types: chilies and chowders. Both are incredibly versatile with endless ingredient possibilities. They can be cream- or broth-based, cooked quickly or simmered for hours, and often can be frozen. Fresh corn chowder is on my mind now as our Hoosier summer effortlessly supplies the key ingredient: abundant and tasty ears. A friend (and professional cook) once told me that any chowder must have bacon, potatoes and onions. After hearing this, I changed how I prepare chowders. Mine do not always contain pieces of bacon, but the preparation always begins with bacon. Instead of oil and butter, bacon drippings provide the base for cooking the vegetables. The chowder’s flavor is altered by using various types of bacon. Cutting kernels off the cob can be messy, but there is a method that simultaneously minimizes cleanup and enhances the taste. Place a 15-ounce tin can in the middle of a large bowl. Place the cob on the can and cut down, allowing the kernels to fall into the bowl. Make the first cut about half way through the kernels and the second cut close to the cob. This double cut releases more of the liquid and increases the chowder’s corniness. Follow Andie’s technique for cutting corn off the cob by propping the ear on a can set inside a large bowl.
8
edible indy
fall 2011
