Bacon and Sweetcorn Chowder

Just in time for lunch.

When I lived in the States as a kid, I loved corn and clam chowder. Especially for lunch on a winter's day. American recipes call for streaky bacon and a bell pepper; I prefer cooking bacon, making the soup heartier. I replace the bell pepper with carrot, making the meal less expensive.

Prep: 15 minutes. Cooking: up to 1 hour. Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

A healthy pinch of celery salt

250 grams of smoked cooking bacon

2 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 litre of full-fat milk

1 fresh bay leaf (optional)

Ingredients sorted and ready to cook.

Method

Over medium-high heat, melt the unsalted butter and add the carrots to the pot. Sauté the carrots for 5 minutes, then add the onions and fry for a further 5 minutes. Once the onions have softened and turned translucent, add the celery salt. Then add the cooking bacon and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the milk (if you allow the milk to come to room temperature, you will reduce the time it takes to bring the chowder to a boil). Once the chowder comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Once the potato cubes are soft, the chowder is ready to enjoy.

Serve with black pepper and salt to taste.

Notes

I do not add salt to the chowder as the bacon and celery salt are quite salty. You can always add salt to taste. Take the milk out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature saves about 20 minutes of cooking time .