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corn chowder

Chicken and Corn Chowder

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Adapted from recipe by Yvonne Ruperti on www.seriouseats.com, and shared by MySaratogaKitchenTable.com

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

1 whole small chicken* (about 3 pounds)

3 medium onions*, divided (1 halved, 2 finely chopped)

2 medium celeriac* (celery roots) or stalks of celery, divided (2 halved, 2 finely chopped)

2 bay leaves

10 black peppercorns

8 sprigs thyme* (4 left whole, leaves removed from remaining 4 and chopped)

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces bacon* finely chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 pounds potatoes*, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 quart)

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup heavy cream*

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Handful chopped parsley*

Directions

1. Place chicken in large Dutch oven. Add halved onion, celery root, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 4 sprigs thyme. Add just enough water to cover (about 3 quarts). Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, cover, and cook until chicken is falling off the bone, about 1 hour.

2. Carefully remove chicken from stock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat, then return bones to pot. Continue to simmer stock for 1 more hour. Meanwhile, shred chicken, place in a medium bowl, add 1 ladle of stock, and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. After 1 hour, strain stock and let sit 15 minutes. Skim fat from the top, then measure. You should have about 6 to 7 cups. If more, gently simmer to reduce. If less, add water to reach at least 6 cups.

4. In empty stockpot, heat oil and bacon over low heat. Cook, stirring until bacon is crispy and fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Add chopped onions, chopped celery root, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pot. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook until pale golden blond, about 1 minute. Whisk in stock in a thin steady stream until fully incorporated. Add potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes.

6. Add corn and chopped thyme. Cook until corn is just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken, bacon, and cream to heat through. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Preparing for Winter Now

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Photos courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Farmers’ market zucchini

Chowderfest is just around the corner … well, it isn’t, but from a planner’s perspective, it might very well be.

Part of farming is planning. So, even as farmers and regulars at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market are savoring the abundance of summer produce, many also are thinking ahead to winter.

Tomatoes, zucchini, corn, beans, and eggplant are plentiful now at the farmers’ market and in backyard gardens. As the days shorten and temperatures drop, they’ll disappear.

I have to confess that while my husband likes to cook down pounds of tomatoes into sauces to can, I enjoy eating what’s fresh and in season. But every once so often I get a hankering in winter for a taste of the summer – for “fresh” green beans in the legendary Thanksgiving green-bean casserole, for sweet corn in clam chowder in early February.  

Summer Harvest Vegetable Soup

So how to get these tastes of summer in the middle of winter?

One simple answer to freeze them now while they’re at their peak flavor.

I’ve also balked at freezing too much in the past, partly because I forget what I have frozen partly because many recipes require blanching vegetables first to preserve their flavor. Blanching requires dropping vegetables into boiling water, cooking them for a few minutes, then plunging them into ice water. It prevents the enzymes in vegetables from deteriorating. But it is a chore.

However, blanching isn’t required for all vegetables, especially if you plan to use them within six months. I’ve decided to experiment this month. I’ll freeze tomatoes in freezer bags whole, probably for a month, for my husband to can. Zucchini, I’ll shred, for winter baking. Green beans are being trimmed and frozen for casseroles and stir fries. I’ll blanch a few eggplants and save them for bharta, a softly mashed Indian eggplant dish I like.

And, finally, corn. The cold of winter and the warmth of chowder are on my brain, so I’m going to try freezing some corn straight on the cob for shucking when I use it. I’ll also trying blanching some to ensure I have sweet, crunchy “fresh” corn when Chowderfest comes. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through October 31 at High Rock Park. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check us out on the FreshFoodNY app. E-mail friends@saratogafarmers.org for volunteer opportunities.