Ingredients:

  • 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed (reserve cobs)
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped

Instructions:

  1. Heat your Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the diced bacon. Cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to move the bits to a paper towel, but leave that liquid gold (the fat) in the pot.
  2. Drop in the butter, onion, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are translucent and smelling sweet. Stir in the minced garlic and thyme for just 60 seconds so the garlic doesn't turn bitter.
  3. Add the cubed potatoes and those reserved corn cobs. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
  4. Use tongs to fish out the corn cobs and toss them. You've squeezed all the flavor out of them now.
  5. Stir in the fresh corn kernels. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the corn is bright yellow and tender.
  6. Use your immersion blender. Pulse it in a few spots, blending about a third of the soup. Stop when the broth looks thickened and velvety but still has visible corn and potato chunks.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, and cracked black pepper. Heat through for 2 minutes, but don't let it boil hard once the cream is in.
  8. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved crispy bacon and chopped chives.