January 26, 2011

Wednesday's Chow - Maine Corn Chowder

Here's another recipe from FARM JOURNAL'S COOKING & ENTERTAINING in AMERICA cookbook (see Yankee Pot Roast recipe).  According to the editors:

An Oneida Indian woman told them that Native Americans don't think of hamburgers and apple pie as typical American food.  "We think of corn soup, wild rice, milkweed, cowslip, ferns and other greens and venison ... as true American call native foods."

"A variety of corn soups copied from Indians became standard fare in colonial homes.  When cattle and hog production made haeadway in eastern colonies, milk and salt pork joined corn in the soup kettle.  Many women also added potatoes, which thickened the chowders slightly and contributed flavor. Maine Corn Chowder included potatoes, famous product of the region, especially Aroostook County.  Our recipe differs little from those that welcomed families to the supper table long ago, but because bacon and canned corn always are available, we use those ingredients instead of salt pork and fresh or dried corn.” (pps 30-31).

Maine Corn Chowder


Ingredients:

5 slices bacon, chopped
2 medium onions, sliced
3 cups diced pared potatoes
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can cream style corn
2 cups milk

Directions:

Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Sauté onion in bacon drippings until soft. Add potatoes, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add corn and milk; heat thoroughly. Garnish with bacon. Makes 9 cups.

8 comments:

Leni said...

Now this is what I needed to have today :)

Morgan Mandel said...

Thank you for another good recipe I'll have to keep in mind.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

Roseanne Dowell said...

I love corn chowder and have a recipe Mom used to make very similar to this one.

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

Hi, Leni, Morgan and Rosanne. Thanks for stopping by. I haven't made this yet, but I'm going to. It sounds really good. I made wild rice and chicken soup tonight and overcooked the rice...it's more like mush and chicken instead of soup, but it has a good flavor. I'll have to watch the cooking time next time I make it.

LORETTA CANTON said...

I love chowder and I'm going to make this Saturday. It look so easy.

Thanks.
loretta

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

Hi, Loretta. It does look easy. I'm going to make it next week. Tonight, I'm making cream of mushroom soup and tomorrow, Chicken and Dumplings. My mom's not been feeling well, so going to make them for her to help her feel better. With making those two things, I figured I'd wait on the chowder.

J.D. Faver said...

Thanks a lot for this recipe Anna Kathryn. I made it last night and just heated a bowl. Perfect for a nice cool winter day here in Houston. Yummy.
~June Faver

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

June, thanks for stopping by and letting us the soup was yummy. I haven't made it yet...going to make it on Monday, so I can take some to my mom on Tuesday. Good to know it's worth making.