Thursday, October 8, 2009

Ina's Cheddar-Corn Chowder



Barefoot Bloggers is at it again! Jan from My Next Life chose the first October recipe: Cheddar-Corn Chowder.

You can find the recipe here:

When I first scanned the recipe, I had a few thoughts:

a) This soup is an ass buster! Bacon fat, butter, olive oil and 2 cups of half and half? If I'm going to commit calorie suicide, I'm doing it with french fries, or a big old burger--not soup, for chrissakes!

b) This soup feeds 10-12 people. Do I even know 10-12 people? Do I have a pot big enough to contain this monster?

c) How many times am I willing to eat this soup in the next week?

The brain was a-churnin' over here at Chez T.

One think I love about the Food Network website is the "reader comments" section that comes with each recipe. You can learn a lot about a recipe--and often avoid pitfalls/mistakes-- by perusing the comments section. Most Food Network junkies know something about cooking, so the hints they give are usually spot-on.

Many readers also noted the ass-busting properties of this soup. Quite a bit of tinkering went on with Ina's recipe. Some people omitted the olive oil completely and found that it worked just fine. Some people used milk instead of half and half. Some people omitted the bacon(NOT something I was willing to do). Some people pureed some of the soup and then stirred it back into the pot to thicken, rather than use half and half. I learned a lot.

I ended up omitting the olive oil. Didn't miss it. The flavor you get from the bacon fat is plenty sufficient. I also halved the amounts of butter and flour--the chowder was still plenty thick enough. I substituted whole milk for the half and half, and I gave the soup a quick whir with my immersion blender; I pureed just enough of the soup to give creamy consistency but still left plenty of chunky goodness. I mean, it is a chowder, not a bisque.

I also used very good, very strong cheese for optimal flavor. Some readers found the chowder bland, and I think it's because they used mediocre cheese. In fact, instead of cheddar, I used pepper jack. I loved the kick it gave the chowder. I also stacked the flavor deck in my favor by using smoked bacon--that extra oomph of smokiness really improved things.



And then I invited a few friends and neighbors over for Soup and Salad Wednesday. Luckily, it's been rainy and grim here, and people were definitely in the mood for a comforting bowl of chowder. And even after we did our best, there were plenty of tupperware containers travelling home.

22 comments:

  1. Barefoot Bloggers? How have I NOT heard of this before now? Must investigate.

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  2. I'm not sure why my comment came through with my alternate ID. I must be having an undiagnosed personality crisis today.

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  3. "ass buster" lol..now that is some funny stuff!!

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  4. I love all the websites that have reader reviews w/ recipes, foodnetwork.com included! I made a corn chowder this summer that was really good... and not quite so ass busting :) http://cookingandeatinginthewindycity.blogspot.com/2009/08/summer-corn-chowder.html

    I'm w/ you on the bacon idea, though! Chowder w/ bacon = heaven.

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  5. Thanks for the tips. I love Ina but many of her recipes are "ass busters." I learned a trick from Ellie Krieger (one of my favs) - we eat with our eyes. So if a recipe calls for bacon I use less and then sprinkle some on top (like you did!) giving the illusion that there is a lot of bacon in the recipe. You're so smart!

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  6. This looks so good! It is absolutely chowder time with winter coming in like a thug. I think I busted my own ass with our crab bisque this weekend. It too made enough for 10-12 and we were only two...sigh. I am really going to have to drag my busted ass out of bed and onto the eliptical soon! =) P.S. Your photo looks great!

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  7. Sounds good but yeah definitely calorific! Maybe not one for the minute what with the gym...still it is becoming that time of year when such comfort food is desperately required....xxx

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  8. I do read the reviewers comments on the recipes. There are a few recipe websites out there that have this. Some I listen to and some are nuts. I think your changes were a good choice. And you know what they say about making a good quality dish, make sure you have good qualitly ingredints!

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  9. lol...ass buster! sounds good though!

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  10. I agree with #2!! I also love Food Network site and always read the comments for tips!

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  11. If I'm gonna commit calorie suicide it'll be wit fries and a burger not soup" WORD. In fact, burger and fries and shake for that ass buster.
    I wanna live by you and come over for soup and salad Wed. Next week I'll make you Cream of Potato Soup that's all veggie stock and no cream. Okeedokee? And we'll make a big salad for you, my salad lovin' bloggy friend.

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  12. That soup sounds brilliant, Nap! I'd love to have you over for Soup and Salad Wednesday...although for you, I could substitute a veggie/hummus tray...

    Your kid eats MUSTARD? WTF?

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  13. OMG, I laughed out loud at ass buster! I love reader comments too. I routinely substitute fat free half and half for milk and cream in recipes - next I want to try fat free evaporated milk - ever tried that as a substitute before?

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  14. I hear you on the fat grams! I used an eensie weensie amount of olive oil, but you're right-- it's unnecessary. Ditto on the bacon, as it's what goes with this. OK, I used a little butter. I can't help myself. I cut the recipe in half, and cut back on the heavy cream. I thought about an immersion blender, but I kinda wanted the chunkiness of the corn. Loved this recipe, though. But, it'll cost me extra laps in the pool.
    Great photos and you made laugh-- again.

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  15. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I have no friends or neighbors. All the more for me, eh?! :D (Are there too many commas in that sentence???)

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  16. Your soup looks fantastic! I wish I was hanging around with an empty bowl.....

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  17. Very funny post. We were thinking along the same lines. Your soup looks great.

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  18. Yum! I wouldn't be willing to omit the bacon, either...NO WAY!! Your little tweaks sound perfect...I would defnitely bring a tupperware...or 2 if I was coming over for lunch :D

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  19. OMG, it is rainy and cold here, dreary and dark, and that soup sounds PERFECT right now! I wish I lived by you...

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  20. Ina is all about the dinner parties so I guess that's where the 10-12 servings comes from, but the heavy cream, olive oil, and bacon triumvirate is ballsy. Scraps of rubber would taste good mixed with those three. Why not add butter and parmesan while we're at it?

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  21. Yow, cheddar + bacon? This is calling to me! Love Ina.

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