Comforting Corn Chowdah... New England Style!

mamaXmama's Note:

After studying various recipes and methods, I've finally perfected the best corn chowdah that I've ever tasted. It's filling, reheats well, and it's always a hit to even those who claim to "hate" corn chowdah. I like to serve it with a dense honey cornbread. This recipe will yield a lot but is easily halved. It freezes well... Just add a little milk upon re-heating. I'll also add... this is NOT low-fat, low calorie, or low carb by ANY means... Just the way I like it!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 50 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 5 (8 ounce) cans creamed corn
• 4 (8 ounce) cans of regular whole kernel corn
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 (5 lb) bag white potatoes
• 2 lbs bacon
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 quart milk (I use whole)
• 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
• 1 ½ tablespoons pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1. Start by peeling, cubing and boiling the potatoes in a large (preferably a lobster-sized) pot.
2. While your potatoes are cooking, cut your bacon into small pieces and fry them crispy in a separate pan. Set the cooked bacon aside and keep the leftover oil on a medium heat.
3. Chop your onions to your desired size and toss them into the bacon drippings, making sure to cook them long enough to look brown, but not crispy.
4. Once your potatoes are done, dump them into a strainer. Rinse the excess starch from the pot and return it to the stove.
5. Dump your drippings and onions into the pot and whisk in the flour over a medium heat.
6. Once the flour is blended and is starting to take on a nutty color, take it off the heat and add a few tablespoons of water -- this will ensure that you don't scorch the milk that you're about to add inches.
7. Let the pot sit off the heat for a minute or two after adding the water. Whisk in your milk slowly. If it starts to scorch, let it sit for another minute -- this is an easy way to burn it.
8. Once you're able to pour in all the milk, add the cream.
9. Dump all of the creamed and whole corn with the liquid into the pot.
10. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
11. Whisk in the all of the paprika, salt, and pepper -- You may wish to add more salt and pepper like I do, but I'm told I over-salt and pepper everything -- It's your call.
12. Add the bacon.
13. Go back to your potatoes and add half of them into the pot (careful, you don't want hot cream to splash back at you!) Using the whisk, mash the potatoes to thicken the cream.
14. Add the rest of the potatoes and switch to a large wooden spoon, making sure to stir carefully along the bottom.
15. Remember, if you start to feel any resistance building up at the very bottom of the pot, stir just above it -- this is a very easily scorched meal, but it's easy to avoid the scorched taste as long as you don't scrape it up!
16. Let it simmer for at least a half an hour on low after all of your ingredients have been added. Make sure you check it often.
17. Serve with cornbread to an army of friends and family for a comforting, delicious meal.

Reviews

[Bratalli]

Close enough to my mom's to give it 5 stars! Brings back memories. Very tasty thanks!

[JDLucas2000]

This is another of my wife's outstanding recipe! This is best on a cold day when you just want something hearty to warm you up.