1–3 strips bacon, cut into 3 or 4 inch pieces
16 oz. chicken breakfast sausage
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 – 1 cup)
1 or 2 large carrots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 or 2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 chopped parsnips (optional)
1 quartered, peeled, and chopped turnip (optional)
1 rutabaga, quartered, peeled, and chopped rutabaga (optional)
3 ears sweet corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 2 cups), cobs reserved (or use 1 bag frozen)
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 cups milk, whole or low fat
2 or 3 medium Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
Kosher (or fresh ground sea) salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
generous handful cilantro or Italian parsley, finely choppeed
1/2 tsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

You can substitute canned 8 oz., chopped green chili pepper for the bell pepper, in which case these are put in at the very end when the milk is added. If new, thin skinned potatoes are used, they may be left unpeeled (remove eyes).

Remove the chicken sausage meat from the sausage skins (discard skins). In a large saucepan or soup pot, fry the sausage meat and bacon strips until the bacon drippings are rendered, but not beginning to brown, 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the onion, bell pepper (if using fresh vs. diced, canned chilis) and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until semi-soft. Add the carrot and celery (and chopped parsnip and turnip – and rutabaga, if using, as additional options) and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes.

Break the corn cobs in half and add them (if fresh corn is being used).

Add bay leaf and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.

Discard the cobs (if fresh corn was used), the bacon strips, and the bay leaves.

Raise the heat, add the potatoes and cilantro/parsley, half of the salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Bring almost to a boil and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are about fork tender.

Preheat the oven to 350°F for the bread.

Put the bread in the oven. Raise the heat; add the corn kernels (if frozen corn being used), milk, (the diced green chili if using canned) and the thyme. Bring to the edge of a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring constantly (to keep the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pot), for 5 minutes.

Turn off all heat (in oven – for bread – and under pot – for chowder). Allow all to sit for 10 (or even better 15) minutes. Serve.

Serves 4–8 (depending on how much bread, salad, and other aperitifs are served). Serve with a good quality, whole wheat artisan bread.

Submitted by: Reed Elliott