INGREDIENTS
3 medium ears corn
4 oz bacon (approximately 5 strips), cut into 1/3-inch pieces
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1/8 tsp turmeric
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 cups chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Stand corn ears upright and cut kernels off with a sharp knife. Set aside.
In a fondue pot on medium heat (or a large pot on stovetop over medium heat), cook bacon until crisp (about 6 minutes). Leave bacon in pot and pour off all but 1 tbsp of bacon fat.

Add butter, onion, bell pepper, thyme and turmeric to bacon and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and aromatic (about 10 minutes).
Add corn, potatoes and stock. Increase heat on fondue pot to high (or stovetop burner to medium-high) until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cooking until potatoes can be pierced with a fork (about 15 to 20 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Raise fondue pot heat to high (or burner to medium-high) to reach a soft boil and slowly add cornstarch mixture into soup, whisking until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 2 minutes).
Remove from heat and add cream.

With an immersion blender, lightly pulse the soup a few times. (Or, pulse half the soup in a blender.) Soup will be chunky. Cool for two hours or overnight to let flavours develop.

Reheat to serve. Makes 6 servings.

TESTED BY Luke Skrzyniarz, head chef at the Earls Victoria location.
TIP “Use the back of your knife to scrape any remaining corn bits from the cobs after slicing off the kernels.”
PAIRING 2006 Cline “No Brainer” Rhone-inspired White. “The sweetness of the corn and savoury flavour of the thyme, onions and bacon balance well with this wine.”