This chowder is decadent and it's meant to be. You can't enjoy food as much as I do without indulging in the "bad" fats once in a while. This is one of those dishes I do use Bacon Fat to cook with. I have a few recipes, that I will use either Duck or Bacon Fat, I just don't do it that often. Fat does carry flavour, and bacon fat is just what I was looking for to add some flavour to this chowder.I had a Butternut Squash at hand, and though I pulled Ham out of the freezer, I decided to use diced Bacon and Butternut Squash as my two main flavours in this chowder. The Bacon was from the weekend, and I usually do not eat it during the week, so it was a good time to use it up.
This is an easy Chowder to make, and as long as the Butternut Squash is ready to go, it is pretty quick to make too. I'll note some substitutions below, if you want this recipe to be even more decadent. I used Bacon fat, so am behaving, using heavy cream is definitely an option if you want a richer tasting finish. This is a smoky Chowder, with a hint of Bacon and a subtle taste of the Butternut Squash.Baked Butternut Squash
The Butternut Squash I had baked on Sunday in anticipation of making a soup, I've included the link to that recipe.
Bacon and Butternut Squash Chowder
8 Strips of Bacon - Diced
8 Medium Sized Potatoes - 1 " Cubes, Skins on
1 Large Butternut Squash - Baked1 Yellow Onion - Diced
6 Brussels Sprouts, Chopped
5 Garlic Cloves - Finely Diced
3 TBSPS Butter
3 TBSPS Bacon Fat
Parsley Finely Diced
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Quart Vegetable Stock
2/3 Cup Cream - 10%2/3 Instant Skim Milk - Rehydrated (2/3 cups with the water, If you have Milk...even better, I ran out.)
Spices
1/2 TSPS Nutmeg
1/2 TSP Turmeric
3/4 TSPS Cumin
2 TSPS Basil1 TSP Oregano
2 1/2 TSPS Dijon Mustard
1 TSPS Coarse Mustard
4 TSPS Salt or to Taste
2 TSPS Lemon Pepper
1 TSP Smoked Paprika
Pre-bake Butternut Squash and mash with 2 Tablespoons of Butter.
Boil Potatoes until tender and drain. If you over-cook the potatoes, they'll Mash when you stir in the next ingredients - Al Dente is what you are looking for as you will bring the temperature up on the potatoes once again. I leave the skins on the potatoes, partially for Texture, partially for nutrition.Pre-fry Bacon and let it drain on a paper towel. Once cool, dice the Bacon strips and leave aside until the Chowder is almost ready.
Reserve 2 to 3 Tablespoons of Bacon fat to cook Onion, Garlic with.Sweat the Garlic and Onions down in the Bacon fat on a Medium -High heat.
Add 1 Cup Dry White Wine to the pan, once the Garlic and Onions have sweated, and let reduce until the alcohol has boiled away.
Add the Brussels Sprouts once the wine has reduced, turn off heat and cover with a lid.The Brussels Sprouts will be less apt to over cook, and you won't get that "sulphur" flavour from them if they are steamed but still al dente when you add to the Chowder.
In the mean time, add Vegetable Stock to the Drained Potatoes and bring back up to a boil.
Add in the mashed Butternut Squash, remaining Butter, Cream, Milk, Spices, Garlic, Onions with Brussels Sprouts.
Reduce heat to low, stir thoroughly.
Add the Diced Bacon and Parsley last, stir again, remove from heat cover and let cool.
When reheating to serve, add Milk, 1/4 Cup per serving. Serve with a little cream, croutons or toast.
One Bacon Butternut Squash Chowder. Serves 12 to 14 Portions.
Variations on ingredients:
- Substitute Heavy Cream instead of 10%
- Use Whole Milk instead of Instant Skimmed, it will give the chowder more decadence.
- Use fewer Potatoes, roughly half, if you want more Squash flavour, and less Stock.
- Add more Bacon if you wish.
The variations are up to you. For my requirements, and taste, this is a flavourful Chowder, since I'm sharing with people in the neighbourhood, I'm not adding more "bad" fat then I already have. I like my neighbours, and don't wish to give them heart attacks any more then I do my Husband.
I'm making Tea Biscuits, Melba Toast, Vegetable Soup, Cottage Pies, Cabbage Rolls and possibly Perogies if I'm able to fit them in with the ingredients I have at hand. I'll update my Blog as I make them.
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