STUYVESANT CORN AND POTATO CHOWDER

By Matthew Locricchio,
Author of Teen Cuisine
Fresh picked corn cut off the cob gets royal treatment in this classic chowder. The sweet corn that grows in and around Stuyvesant, a small agricultural community nestled along the Hudson River in upstate New York, is some of the best on the planet. A good friend who worked at one of the local farm markets asked me to come up with a recipe for chowder using local corn and potatoes. Just in case you can’t get fresh picked corn, this recipe works perfectly with frozen.

SERVES 6 TO 8
8 ears fresh corn, or 4 cups frozen kernels
1 small yellow onion
5 small Yukon gold potatoes
4 slices thick-cut bacon, or 2 tablespoons salted butter
5 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers
3 to 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

On your mark . . .
Husk the corn and remove the silk strands.

Slice the kernels off the cob, reserving as much of the corn liquid as possible. To do this, stand the ear of corn on the stem end in a wide flat bowl or pan. Using a sharp knife, slice down in even rows to remove the kernels. Set the corn aside.

Peel and chop the onion into small chunks, and set aside.

Wash and peel the potatoes, chop into small chunks, and place in a medium-sized bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside.

Get set . . .
If you are using the bacon, place the strips in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until just crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan, lay on paper towels to drain, and let cool.

Cut the strips into small pieces and set aside.

If you are not using the bacon, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onions to the bacon fat or melted butter and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until soft and translucent. Using a metal slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a heatproof bowl and set aside.

Drain the potatoes in a colander.

Combine the onions and the potatoes in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to just cover the potatoes.

Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat; do not cover the pan.

Reduce to low and simmer the potatoes and onions for 15 minutes or until just tender, but not falling apart, when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.

Drain the potato and onion mixture and set aside.

Cook!
In a 6- to -8 quart saucepan, combine the milk, corn, butter, potatoes and onions, chopped bacon, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through and simmering, stirring occasionally.

While the soup cooks, slip on a pair of latex kitchen gloves. Remove the stems and cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold water. Scrape out the seeds with the tip of a teaspoon and discard. Chop into small dice and place in a small serving dish.

Rinse the gloves and remove.

Wash the parsley, shake off the excess water, and dry the sprigs by rolling them in paper towels. Coarsely chop and put in a small bowl.

Serve the chowder hot, and pass the jalapeños and parsley at the table to sprinkle on top.

The above is an excerpt from the book Teen Cuisine by Matthew Locricchio. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.  This has been re-posted by permission.
Copyright © 2011 Matthew Locricchio, author of Teen Cuisine

Author Bio
Matthew Locricchio, author of Teen Cuisine, was born into a restaurant and catering family and has worked in the food industry most of his life. Included in his resume as a professional cook are stints at the well-known Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the West Coast Stock Exchange's private club in San Francisco, and the legendary Barbary Coast restaurant.

Matthew has taught culinary classes and given cooking demonstrations at culinary schools throughout the country as well as the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

James Peterson, photographer for Teen Cuisine, is a renowned cookbook author and photographer, and a James Beard and International Association of Culinary Professionals award winner.

For more information please visit http://www.cookbooksandkids.com/ and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter