Corn Chowder With Crispy Bacon

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter

100g smoked bacon lardons

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 1cm cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon plain flour

450ml good quality chicken or vegetable stock

450ml whole milk

100ml double cream

4 spring onions, finely sliced

200g frozen or tinned sweetcorn, drained if tinned

Small bunch of chives, chopped

½ tablespoon olive oil

4 rashers of streaky bacon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD: 

Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan or ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add the bacon lardons and fry for 3-4 until they start to look crispy.

Add the onion and fry for a further 3-4 minutes until the onion is beginning to soften.

Sprinkle over the flour and mix well to coat the vegetables. Pour in the stock and milk and add the potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked, but have not started to fall apart.

While the soup is simmering, heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the streaky bacon. Fry until very crispy and blot dry on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Once the potato is cooked, add the spring onions and sweetcorn to the soup. Bring back up to a simmer to heat the corn through. Season to taste.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Break the crispy rashers of bacon into shards and scatter over along with the chopped chives.