Bacon Slab and Potato Chowder
Made with rich bacon slab and creamy, carbonara-inspired flavours, this chowder is the ultimate in comfort food. Simple and easy to prepare, it’s a family favourite, especially with the cheesy toast alongside.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
250g slab bacon, diced
1 leek, sliced
A few sprigs thyme
1⁄2 tsp salt
4 medium agria potatoes (approx. 700g), peeled and cubed
750ml Farro chicken stock
125ml Lewis Road Creamery Organic Single Cream
1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
25g parmesan or pecorino, freshly grated
A few sprigs parsley, roughly chopped
1 Wild Wheat baguette, sliced
1 packet Farro provolone dolce, grated
Method
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and fry the bacon over a low heat until crisp. Remove 1⁄4 and set aside for garnishing. Add the sliced leek, thyme, and salt, and cook until soft, approx. 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and chicken stock, bring up to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream and black pepper and adjust the seasonings to taste.
Meanwhile, preheat your grill. Arrange the bread slices on a tray and grill until lightly browned, then flip over and brown the other side. Top with the provolone and cook until just melted and gooey.
To serve, ladle the chowder into bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon, parmesan, and parsley and serve with the toasts alongside.
Cook’s tip: Be kind to your rinds! We keep our parmesan rinds in the freezer for moments like this. Add a couple here to make the soup even cheesier (just pull them out and discard before serving).