Corn & Potato Soup with Halibut

We had the first real taste of fall in Sonoma yesterday. One of those days where the overcast did not break, and a slight chill was in the air. One of those days where you don't feel guilty not going out. One of those days where you feel completely content and cozy at home. I lit the fireplace for the first time this year. What was missing was the aroma of something cooking on the stove....It was the perfect day to create something in the kitchen. It seems that lately I look for every opportunity to cook as my Paris departure draws near. Maybe I think that dicing a few more onions will somehow better prepare me for what lies ahead. In any event, I had a real appetite for a hot soup or stew, so I dug into my old recipes and came up with this great recipe from a 2005 issue of Cooking Light. It was the perfect recipe for such a fall day . Here it is with a few minor alterations that I felt would improve it.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups corn (either thawed frozen corn, or canned corn)

8 bacon slices, chopped

3 Cups chopped onions

1 1/2 Cups finely chopped celery

1 1/2 Cups finely chopped carrots

1 Cup finely chopped shallots

4 garlic cloves , minced

1/4 Cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 TB chopped fresh thyme

1 TB paprika

3 TB butter

1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

3 Cups whole milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 (8oz) bottle clam juice

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 Lb yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 Cups)

2 Lbs. Halibut or you can substitute an firm white fish fillet, cut into bite sized pieces

*If you like a spicy kick also add 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or 2 serrano chiles finely chopped.

1. Place 1 cup of corn in food processor or blender and process until smooth. Set aside.

2. Cook bacon in a dutch oven over med-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving about 1 1/2 TBS of the bacon dripping in the pan. Set bacon aside on a paper towel to absorb the oil. Add onions and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to drippings in the pan. (*if you choose to add spice, include the serrano or red pepper flakes at this point) .Saute' 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in parsley, thyme, and paprika. Remove vegetable mixture from the pan and set aside.

3. Using the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until browned. Gradually add the milk while stirring with the whisk. Add vegetable mixture, salt, and the next 4 ingredients (through potatoes), bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender. Stir in the fish, pureed corn, and remaining 1 1/2 Cups of corn kernels, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Discard bay leaves. Top with the crispy bacon. This will yield 10 servings.

Bon Appetit