Vegetable Chowder

Vegetable Chowder
Yield: 6

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, diced
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 cup 2% milk
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 x bay leaf
1 cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potato
salt and pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon, leaving fat.

Add onion, celery and carrot and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and red bell pepper and sauté 3 minutes more. Remove vegetables from pot and set aside.

Melt butter and add flour to pot over medium heat. Stir constantly until a nutty aroma is noticeable, about 5 minutes.

With a whisk, stir in chicken stock a little at a time. Whisk in milk in a slow stream. Return vegetables to pot, add corn, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and potatoes and bring up to a simmer. Cover and simmer soup until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add bacon and season to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.