Ham Leftovers and Fresh Corn Chowder Recipe with Ham, Bacon and Pimentos

I have been writing a variety of recipes as of late, in how to reuse leftover chicken and/or ham to happily and enjoyably create a new meal that has no link to its precooked past. And since with my previous posts, I thought to add more delicious recipes and how to ideas on what to do with a ham.

Now one thing I have learned from my mother and was a famous quote by Dorothy Parker is that: "Eternity is two people and a ham". Now I couldn't agree more with Dorothy Parker or my mother. In fact this quote has been repeated by many other people, but I do believe that good 'ol Dorothy said it first - it sounds like her anyway if you are familiar with her work.

So you have a left over ham, now what!? Ham has become a wonderful way to affordably serve many people, and recently I noticed rather good prices in the stores for Ham and will probably pick one up next week. But as with all hams, I know I will have leftovers once I glaze that baby in the oven.

So as I mentioned the other day, I can easily make, egg omlettes with ham, quick quiche Leah, Split Pea Soup - which I made at the end of the 'ham's life', and spaghetti carbonara and chowder of some sort.

So today, I will share my Fresh Corn Chowder recipe:

Easy quick chowder idea for using up leftover ham and doing something with the corn you bought the other day since it was in season. Affordable meal goes a long way to feeding everyone nicely, served up with nice hearty garlic bread and a salad, and you have made yourself a meal to be remembered!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup or more diced cooked ham
1 can of cream style corn (no. 2 can)
2-4 ears of fresh corn on the cob, with corn removed and 'milk' reserved
4 slices bacon
1 large onion diced
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 quart milk
2 tablespoons flour (optional thickener)
4 cups potatoes, skins removed and diced - keep in large bowl of water to prevent browning until ready to throw in soup pot
1/2 cup minced and drained of their juices pimento
3 tablespoons fresh parlsey chopped for garnish
2 tablespoons green onions/scallions for garnish and extra zing
salt and pepper
soup pot/stock pot
could be done in slow cooker while first browning bacon, ham, onions and fresh corn.
tablespoon or two of olive oil

Directions:

Either in stock pot, add olive oil to cool pot.
Add bacon and onions and let saute and brown slightly and add garlic, diced ham and cook for two more minutes to heat through.

Remove and drain from pot and set aside but reserve fat.
Add one tablespoon of the bacon fat back into the pot and add drained fresh corn (remember to save the milk from the fresh corn - you can add it to the milk you will be adding)
Cook corn till slightly browned, then if using flower to thicken soup, add flour now stirring it until absorbed.
Add milk and stir in slowly.
Add potatoes, and all other ingredients to the pot (except for green onions and parsley).
Taste first, then add salt and pepper per your liking.
Once at a boil, turn down heat and let cook for 30 minutes.
Serve in pretty bowls and top with fresh garnishes of minced chives/green onions and parsley. Add some fresh cracked pepper to the top and serve it up.
I grabbed photo from tesco.com but looks quote close to my version indeed, except for mine has larger pieces of potatoes and its missing fresh garnishes!
Enjoy this affordable quick meal to feed your family fast and deliciously!