My love for peameal bacon runs deep. In my opinion, it's the best kind of bacon and I don't have enough of it in my life. Have you noticed that peameal bacon is mostly reserved for two very different, infrequent occasions; special breakfasts or served on a bun with mustard while skating on the canal. Look, I didn't make the rules, I just play by them. But no more! Enjoying peameal bacon need not be left to chance, someone clever came up with a delicious way to enjoy it in soup form, for lunch or dinner. huzzah.

This recipes comes from the kitchen at Seasons Fine Foods Cookery School in Napanee Ontario and was printed in the Fall 2017 edition of Grapevine Magazine. What I love about this soup is how flavourful it is. The salty peameal, sweet parsnips, and spicy cardamom come together in a surprisingly delightful way.

Peameal Parsnip Chowder

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups cubed cornmeal crusted peameal bacon

3 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes

3 cup parsnips, peeled and cut into ½” cubes

1 tsp ground cardamom

2 tsp dried thyme

6-8 cups vegetable stock

1 cup 35% whipping cream

Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and then add the olive oil. Once heated add the onions and saute until they are clear and soft. Add the peameal bacon and saute ten minutes, stir occasionally. Add the potatoes, parsnips, thyme and cardamom, saute for 5 minutes. Add enough stock just to cover ingredients in the pot.

Simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add the cream and gently heat through. Add more cream if needed to create a smooth crowder. I like my chowder less smooth, so I take a potato masher and mash the soup a few times to break up some of the potatoes and parsnips, this creates a thicker broth and various sixed chunks.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.