Sweet Corn Chowder

From the garden

• 6 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off, cobs reserved
• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into half-inch dice
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped (optional)

From the pantry

• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 cups chicken stock — or vegetable stock
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 bay leaf
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. Cook the chopped bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp, 5–6 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel, leaving the fat behind.
2. Add the butter, onion, and celery to the pot and cook 6–8 minutes with a pinch of salt until soft but not browned.
3. Add the stock, potatoes, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and the stripped corn cobs — the cobs steep like tea bags and double the corn flavor. Simmer 10 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
4. Fish out and discard the cobs, thyme stems, and bay leaf. Add the corn kernels and simmer 5 minutes more, until just tender and sweet.
5. Ladle about 2 cups of the chowder into a blender, purée until smooth, and stir it back in — this thickens the pot naturally, no flour needed. Add the cream, warm through without boiling, and season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Serve topped with the crisp bacon and chives.