Summer Thyme Corn Chowder

Post Note: I just got my Williams Sonoma catalogue in the mail today with a recipe for sweet corn chowder that looks very similar to my own recipe. (They use a bit less cream, a bit more more bacon, and no broth or thyme, but otherwise the soups could be slurpable sisters.) I'll have to give theirs a try and report back. For anyone who is interested, here's the link.
Doesn't it seem contraditory to bemoan the scorching summer weather in one post, only to offer a post for soup in the next? Bear with me, dear readers. This isn't your sit-by-the-fire-in-December kind of soup, this is Summer Thyme Corn Chowder. It's got smoky bacon, some woodsy undertones from the thyme, and lots and lots of perfect golden corn. It's best NOW, even in the heat of summer, because the corn is at its flavorful best. If you've got your own ears growing out back, then you're off to a good start. If not, wait a few weeks till your grocer is offering 4 corn for a $1.00, then load up your bushel. We must be the corn lovin'est family; we ate corn chowder with cornbread slathered with honey, and then buttered popcorn for dessert. We would have eaten well on Plymouth plantation. I'll be back this weekend with more garden goodness; I've been canning marinara sauce that tastes exactly like a breezy summer evening in Tuscany.

Summer Thyme Corn Chowder

Estimated Cost: $4.00 for four servings

Notes: If you're dining with vegetarians, keep the bacon on the side and saute the vegetables in oil.

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, minced

generous pinch of cayenne

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme

8 cups corn kernels, cut from the cob

2 and 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup chopped scallions

In a large pot, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Remove to paper towel and reserve for garnish. To same pot with bacon grease add onions and saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Add cayenne, garlic and thyme and cook for thirty seconds. Meanwhile, combine 4 cups corn kernels and 2 cups broth in blender. Puree until almost smooth. Add blended corn, remaining corn, and remaining broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Add cream and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more cayenne. Garnish with crispy bacon and scallions.

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