Creamy chowder of corn, cabbage, potatoes and smoky bacon—rich, warming bowl for chilly evenings.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - Smoked bacon, chopped — 6 slices
→ Vegetables
02 - Yellow onion, diced — 1 medium
03 - Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
04 - Green cabbage, shredded — 3 cups
05 - Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced — 2 medium
06 - Corn kernels (fresh or frozen) — 3 cups
07 - Celery, diced — 2 stalks
08 - Carrot, diced — 1 medium
→ Liquids
09 - Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth — 4 cups
10 - Whole milk — 1 cup
11 - Heavy cream — 1/2 cup
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - Smoked paprika — 1 teaspoon
13 - Dried thyme — 1/2 teaspoon
14 - Bay leaf — 1
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste
→ Others
16 - Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons
17 - Fresh parsley, chopped (garnish) — 2 tablespoons
# Directions:
01 - Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add the butter to the reserved bacon fat. Once melted, add the diced onion, celery and carrot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion is translucent.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let the garlic brown.
04 - Add the shredded cabbage and diced potatoes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes to begin softening the cabbage.
05 - Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork‑tender.
06 - Stir in the corn, whole milk and heavy cream, then simmer gently for 4–5 minutes to heat through and marry the flavors.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. For a thicker consistency, mash a portion of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a spoon.
08 - Ladle into bowls and finish with the reserved crisp bacon and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
