Dinosaur Barbecue's Corn and Potato Chowder

Back in July I travelled with my husband to Syracuse, New York for
a few days. We went last July for the first time, and discovered this
incredible place through those booklets they place in hotel rooms so you
can scope the local restaurants. We were intrigued and when the desk staff gave
it two thumbs up, we decided to try it.

I know, I know, I hadn't learned how to take outdoor night pictures yet.
It appealed to my love of neon signs at night.

We loved Dinosaur BBQ. It's a very--um--unadorned interior, similar
to the best rock or sports bars, loud and raucous and fun. No frills here, just
great food and beer at very reasonable prices.
They feature a variety of down-home dishes, the best of which is the
barbecued pork. The recipe I'm posting today is something neither
of us tried at the restaurant, but after returning home, I found their
cookbook on the interwebs and ordered it toot sweet.

This is the first recipe I tried from the book so far, and I'm looking forward
to trying them all in time.

In the meantime I am waging a one-woman campaign to persuade
the owners to open a Dinosaur Barbecue here in Michigan.
Stay posted.




Corn and Potato Chowder
(adapted from Dinosaur Bar B Que: An American Roadhouse)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 pound bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth or stock
4 cups peeled, finely diced all-purpose potato
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley



Method:


Place the butter in a soup kettle and melt over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Take bacon out and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pot. Toss in the onions and peppers, seasoning them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until soft and then add garlic, cooking it all for 1 more minute.

Sprinkle on the flour and mix into the veggies. Pour in the broth and potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the shredded carrots and corn. Cover adn simmer everything 5-6 minutes longer to blend the flavors.

Stir in the half-and-half. Season with the thyme and cayenne, if you choose to add cayenne. Add the bacon bits you saved.

Feeds 6-8.

*I was out of cayenne pepper so used a few drops of some habanero-flavored Tabasco that was perched on the stove top.



This recipe is so perfect that I didn't change much at all. I was all out of fresh thyme so I omitted it at no sacrifice to the overall taste of the soup. It goes together quickly and easily. I doubled it and still didn't have as much left over as I wished. What did remain for my lunch the next day was even better, after the flavors had had time to blend further.

I know, I know, this one is terribly out of focus but I had to include it
because their outdoor art is so unique. There is an outdoor bar and numerous
picnic tables, some under a canopy. The horse stands atop a small shed or
something (I didn't particularly notice-did I mention the outdoor bar?).
It's a great place to quaff a cold one and wait for your table.
And wait you will, because this place is that good and that crowded.



And here's one more shot demonstrating my photographic inadequacies.
But I like it. Neon.