Roasted Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter , divided
• 3 cups fresh white corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock , or as needed
• 6 potatoes , diced
• 0.25 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves garlic , chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried celery flakes
• 0.5 teaspoons paprika
• 0.5 cups half-and-half
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.25 cups shredded Cheddar cheese , Optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. 2

   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat; stir in corn and tarragon and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Place the skillet with corn in the preheated oven; roast, stirring every 5 minutes, until lightly browned but not dry, about 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Place bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon slices; drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

5. 5

   Heat reserved bacon fat in the Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook and stir until onion is very tender and dark brown, about 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour chicken stock over caramelized onions; stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to dissolve any browned bits. Bring to a boil. Stir in corn, potatoes, parsley, garlic, celery, and paprika. Crumble bacon, reserving about 1/4 cup for garnish, and stir bacon into soup. Reduce heat to low; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter and half-and-half into soup; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle reserved bacon and Cheddar cheese over soup to serve.