This hearty chowder is loaded with flavour and tastes like love, making it the ultimate comfort dish!

There is nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of chowder - it's the perfect food to warm up colder days and great as a weekday treat. This thick and creamy chowder recipe by Le Creuset is filled with sweet corn, potatoes, smoked bacon, and red peppers, each bite bursting with flavour! Enjoy it as it is or pair it with bread to soak up all the goodness. Cooked conveniently in a single pot, this chowder is ideal for busy lifestyles and definitely a must for the winter seasons.

We used our Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Oval Casserole to make this luscious chowder as it is durable, suitable for use on all cooktops, and so easy to clean. We also love how this gorgeous oven-to-table casserole adds a pop of colour to the table and makes our chowder look extra appetising. Pamper your loved ones with this lovely chowder at a dinner party or make it a great addition to your recipe repertoire.

Makes 6 - 8 Servings 

Ingredients:

• 150g butter
• 500g leeks- cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced
• 2 x 325g canned sweet corn in water
• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• 400g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 medium onions- finely chopped
• 2 red peppers- stalk and seeds removed, then chopped
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml chicken stock
• 600ml full-fat milk
• 600g floury potatoes- peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 120ml double cream
• A good pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method:

1. Melt 50g of the butter in the casserole. Add the sliced leeks, stir well to coat with butter and season lightly. Place on the lid and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until just tender. Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside. Drain the sweet corn into a bowl, reserving the liquid.

2. Add the sunflower oil to the casserole with the bacon and fry over a high heat until beginning to brown. Remove the bacon and leave to one side. Lower the temperature to a medium heat and add the remaining butter, onions and red peppers, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until they have softened.

3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the chicken stock, milk and reserved liquid from the sweet corn and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of salt, cover and leave to simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and just beginning to fall apart.

4. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then press some of the potatoes up against the sides of the pan to break them up slightly. Stir in the sweet corn and cream and cook for 2-3 minutes until almost back to the boil. Stir in the leeks, bacon and half the chopped parsley and season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt and white pepper. Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the chopped parsley.

Cook's Notes

1. To clean leeks, slit them open lengthways, separate the leaves slightly and wash away any mud or grit. Shake away the excess water before slicing and cooking.

2. Look out for packets of cooked ham hock in the chilled cabinet at the supermarket. Use in place of the bacon lardons, stirring them in with the sweet corn towards the end of cooking.

3. If you can, use homemade stock for this soup. Stock leftover from cooking gammon or a collar of bacon would be even better.

Source: Le Creuset

Next Read: Asian-Inspired Mandarin Salad With Crispy-Skinned Salmon