Bacon Corn Chowder

December. Christmas planning in the Fremont apartment. Our first Christmas as a cohabiting couple. The menu discussions are the most us thing: what's the Korean contribution, what's the Taiwanese contribution, what's the American contribution, how do we fit three traditions into one evening. James suggested tangyuan — Taiwanese rice balls in sweet ginger soup, traditionally eaten at Winter Solstice. The roundness symbolizes reunion. The symbolism is perfect for a Christmas that brings together people who were once separated and are now gathered.

I made patjuk for the winter solstice — Korean red bean porridge, the December 21st tradition I started two years ago. The porridge is warm and burgundy and the small rice dumplings float in it like pearls in a red sea. James tried it and said, "This is like dessert soup." Karen tried it at Saturday dinner and said, "Like sweet refried beans." David declined (David's sweet-porridge tolerance has a limit). The patjuk is mine — my December ritual, my solstice food, my Korean-American December tradition that lives alongside Karen's Christmas cookies and James's tangyuan.

The birth mother search: eighteen months with GOA'L. Nine months with 325Kamra. Active search filed with the Eastern Social Welfare Society. Three channels, three silences. The silences do not defeat me. The silences are the weather I live in while I cook and love and build. The cooking is the shelter. The love is the warmth. The building is the life.

Saturday: Bellevue. Karen made her butternut squash soup. I brought patjuk and japchae. The Bellevue table in December: butternut squash, patjuk, japchae, Christmas cookies cooling on the counter. The table holds every December dish. The table is December.

Karen’s butternut squash soup at the Bellevue table reminded me that every culture has its version of the same thing: something warm, something orange or red or gold, something that says it is cold outside and you are safe in here. I can’t always make patjuk for every gathering — not everyone is ready for sweet red bean — but a bacon corn chowder gets the same welcome at every table I’ve ever sat at. It’s the kind of soup you make when the silences are loud and the cooking needs to be louder.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 4 ears if fresh)
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Shredded sharp cheddar, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Render the bacon. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot. Discard the rest.
Sauté the aromatics. Add the butter to the drippings over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Build the base. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat, cooking for 1–2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Add the smoked paprika and cayenne and stir to combine.
Add liquid and potatoes. Pour in the chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Add the cubed potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered until the potatoes are just tender, about 12–15 minutes.
Add corn and dairy. Stir in the corn kernels, milk, and heavy cream. Return to a gentle simmer (do not boil) and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chowder thickens slightly and the corn is tender.
Season and finish. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper. Stir in half the reserved bacon.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with remaining bacon crumbles, sliced green onions, and shredded cheddar if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Bacon Corn Chowder — The Soup That Held the Table Together