CHANTERELLE CHOWDER WITH BACON AND CORN

First fresh chanterelle dish of the year! I found this recipe online at http://notwithoutsalt.com/chanterelle-chowder-with-bacon-and-corn/  and would make it again.

Serves 4

4 strips bacon, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
1/2 bulb fennel, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves ( I used lemon thyme to taste, probably more than this)
2 – 2 1/2 cups (6 ounces) roughly chopped chanterelles
1/2 cup (4 ounces) wheat beer or white wine
2 1/2 cups (1 pound 4 ounces) chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) cubed (1” inch) yellow potatoes (2 small/medium)
1 cup corn kernels (6 ounces) (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 

• Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat until the fat renders and it just starts to crisp, 5-7 minutes.
• Add the onion, fennel and garlic with a pinch of salt then saute for an additional 7 minutes until the onions are translucent.
• Turn the heat to medium-high then add the thyme and chanterelles.
• Sauté until caramelized in parts, 3-5 minutes. (Face it, it's going to take longer with moist chanterelles! Or just dry-sauté the mushrooms separately and add)  Deglaze with the beer/wine, scraping up the browned bits off the bottom
• Add the stock and potatoes, bring to a simmer then cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add the corn and cream and simmer just until the corn is cooked through.
• Stir in dill, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Finish with lemon juice then taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Note: For a thicker chowder stir in 2 1/2 teaspoons flour before you add the beer or wine. Cook the flour for 1 minute so the finished soup doesn’t have a raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the beer or wine then proceed as written.