Warming vegetable and bacon chowder recipe

By Thea Jeffreys

Published: Saturday, 15 January 2022 at 12:00 am

This soup is packed full of healthy, filling vegetables that will fuel your winter walk – but it also tastes rather luxurious thanks to a dash of cream added at the end.

Keep it vegetarian by omitting the bacon lardons and perhaps adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika in their place.

Ingredients

Leeks 2, Sliced diagonally into 2cm rings
Smoked bacon lardons 200g
Butter 25g
Garlic cloves 2, Chopped
Potatoes 2, large, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
Carrots 2, Peeled and diced
Sweetcorn kernels 150g, Tinned or frozen
Thyme 2-3 sprigs, (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
Milk 500ml
Vegetable stock 500ml
Double cream 100ml
Flatleaf parsley a generous handful
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Step 1

Melt the butter over a low heat and sweat the leeks, with the lardons for about 10 minutes until it is slightly softened.
[image id=”15337″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” align=”none” title=”Vegetable and bacon chowder soup recipe” alt=”Vegetable and bacon chowder soup recipe” classes=””] Vegetable and bacon chowder soup recipe (Recipe by: Jason Ingram)

Step 2

Add the garlic and cook for a further minute before adding the potato, carrot and sweetcorn, stirring well to mix.

Step 3

Stir through the thyme and pour in the milk, stock and wine, before seasoning with a little salt and plenty of freshly
ground black pepper.

Step 4

Bring the mix up to the boil, lower the heat a little and simmer steadily for about 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and tender. Towards the end of cooking, I like to use a potato masher to lightly break up some of the vegetables a little and thicken the soup slightly. Turn off the heat and stir through the cream and the parsley.

Step 5

Pour into food flasks while piping hot, or chill ready for reheating on your walk.

Recipe by Genevieve Taylor