Having our first major cold snap in Dallas. A cold wind is blowing and supposed to be down in the mid-20's tonight. I have some cold baked potatoes and a few ears of fresh corn in the fridge, so I am making this favorite tomorrow morning. Will have for a late lunch when we get back from my old boy's doctor appointment.
Baked Potato Chowder
5 or 6 pieces of bacon - can skip this and use 2 or 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
3 or 4 medium size left-over baked potatoes, at least one day old. Remove the brown outer skin.. Chop in small cubes
2 stalks celery chopped small
1 medium onion, chopped small
1 cup corn – Fresh , cut off the ear (takes one ear) is best, frozen second best, then canned corn
1 qt chicken stock – I use the Kitchen Basics brand
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
salt, pepper to taste
1 or 2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce (optional)
Fry bacon crisp and drain on paper towels. Crumble into small bits.
Pour off all the bacon grease except about 2 or 3 tablespoons.
Add the onions and celery to the bacon grease and saute until onions are limp. Add the corn and saute until corn cooks ( a few minutes more). If the corn seems tough, add about ½ cup water and stir until liquid cooks away (won't hurt the celery and onions).
If you need a larger pot, transfer the sauted mixture to the soup pot, now. Add the flour and cook on low stirring, cook a minute or two to cook the flour. Add the baked potatoes, bacon, chicken stock and milk, Add salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste. Simmer chowder on medium low for 15 to 20 minutes, giving it a stir every so often. Watch that it does not boil as this will cause the milk to curdle, If it is cooking down too much, add a little water or milk. It should be just a little thick, not much. Chowder should never be thick like gravy. Turn off heat and let it stand a minute or two and serve. You can stir in a little cream or best of all, some Mexican crema for a richer taste.
This chowder tastes even better the second day. It makes about 2 quarts of chowder. Freezes well.
Soup making hint. Left-over baked potatoes have a much better flavor and texture than freshly cooked or raw potatoes. When I bake potatoes, I always add a few extra to be used for soup or breakfast hash-browns.
They are easiest to peel right after baking and allowing to cool. At this time, the brown skin will peel right off. Once peeled, place in covered container in fridge at least over night, They will keep for several days.
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