Nice and easy Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder is one of my very favorite soups.  The carrots, celery, corn and onion compliment one another, and the Panchetta and ham give it a really nice, rich flavor.  The only seasoning it has is Thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and a touch of crushed red pepper.  I know many recipes I have read call for adding red pepper, but I have always thought that strong flavor would take away from all the other ingredients, so I don't use it.  Feel free to increase or decrease the quantities of ingredients, depending on how much soup you are making.

Here are my ingredients (this made approximately half of a deep soup pot):

Carrots (I had baby carrots, so I chopped up about 3 handfuls!)

Celery, 2-3 ribs

Potatoes (4 red potatoes)

Onion (1 whole vidalia onion)

Frozen Corn (1 bag)

Creamed Corn (1 can)

Fresh Parsley (up to you!)

Thyme (about 2 tsp)

Bay leaves (3)

salt and pepper

crushed red pepper (to taste)

panchetta (2 slices, diced)

ham steak cubed

chicken broth (1 box)

evaporated milk (1 can)

light cream (1/2-3/4 cup)

cornstarch and water (I used 2 tbs cornstarch and enough water to dissolve it)

Saute the onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery in a couple of tablespoons of butter.  Add the Thyme. When the veggies are done,  lightly saute in a separate pan 2 slices of panchetta that are diced, and combine.

Now that the veggies have become tender, add the frozen corn, a can of creamed corn, and a box of chicken broth.

Season with  2-3 bay leaves,  salt and pepper, and a little crushed pepper for some heat.  Let everything simmer for about 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

I love to add ham to my corn chowder.  I have tried using sliced ham from the deli, but it is way too thin, so I get a little creative.  I bought a ham steak, which is usually about 1/2 inch thick.  It's perfect for cutting into bite-sized pieces.  Stir in some fresh, chopped parsley.   The last things to add are the evaporated milk and the light cream.  The cream is totally optional.  I think it gives the soup a little richness, but it is totally up to you.

Pour in on can of evaporated milk, and about 1/2 cup of light cream.   I don't know about you, but when the word "chowder" is in the title, the soup should be thick, so I mix about 2 Tbs of corn starch with some water.  Add in, a little at a time, and stir.  It will thicken up pretty fast.  Only add the amount you need to attain the thickness you like.

Not to sound like a broken record, but make sure you taste the soup all along the way, to make sure the flavors are right.  I found I needed to add more dried chopped onion, because the cooked onion didn't provide enough flavor.   When all was said and done, it really was the perfect bowl of corn chowder!