Merfeld-Jewell Recipes

Zucchini Corn Chowder

Inspired by Half-Baked Harvest's chowder recipe here.

Ingredients

• 5 strips bacon
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion
• 1-2 medium zucchini or yellow squash
• 4 ears sweet corn
• 2 medium russet potatoes
• Chicken broth (recipe calls for 4c but I think I usually do 6c)
• 1 cup cream
• Garlic
• Thyme
• Smoked paprika
• Red pepper flakes
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup Gouda cheese (shredded), plus more for topping
• ½ cup cheddar cheese (shredded), plus more for topping
• Chives

Directions:

1. Dice onion and potatoes. Cut off ends of zucchini/squash, cut in half lengthwise, the slice into half moon slices. Shuck corn and cut kernels off the cob.
2. If cheeses are not pre-shredded, shred them now.
3. In a stock pot over medium to medium-high heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside for later.
4. To the pot, add butter, then sauté onion until translucent. Add zucchini/squash and cook until tender.
5. Add corn, garlic, and seasonings, and cook another 2 minutes.
6. Add potatoes and broth, then bring to a rolling boil. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are soft. While you’re waiting, you could crumble the bacon, which you’ll use to top the soup at the end.
7. Once potatoes are fork tender, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, shooting for a thick chowder texture but still with plenty of potato and veggie bits (not homogenous). You could also transfer a portion of the soup to a traditional blender for this step.
8. Stir in cream, cheeses, and honey, and cook 5 more minutes.
9. Serve! Top with bacon, chives, and cheese to taste.