LIGHT CORN CHOWDER

By á-8997

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound bacon (4-6 slices)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2- 3 cups canned chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups peeled and diced (1/2 inch) yams (about 3/4 pound)
• 3/4-1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh(about 5 large ears), or frozen, thawed
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium zucchini (about 1/4 pound),cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a 3 to 4 quart soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserving the fat in the pan, drain the bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute over medium heat until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

3. Add the chicken broth, water, yams, thyme, cayenne, salt & pepper, and bring ot a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the yams are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Add the corn, red pepper, zucchini, and milk. Return to simmer and cook until the corn is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. For a thicker chowder, puree 1/3 of the solids and stir the puree back into the soup.

5. Sprinkle the chowder with the bacon and parsley, and serve hot.