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a bowl of pale creamy corn chowder with yellow corn kernels, small pink ham cubes and tiny red pepper pieces, topped with two pale-yellow round steamed cornmeal dumplings with soft uneven surfaces
Rachel Kim

Ham and Corn Chowder with Cornbread Dumplings

Cornmeal dumplings turn this chowder into a spoon-and-bowl dinner without needing a separate batch of cornbread in the oven. The dough should be soft enough to scoop but thick enough to sit in a mound, so mix it just before the soup is ready for it. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and leave the lid closed while the dumplings cook; lifting it repeatedly lets out the steam their centers need. The ham and corn stay underneath in a lightly creamy broth, with red pepper adding small sweet pieces rather than another large vegetable to work around. Split one dumpling to check that its middle looks fluffy and cooked before serving the rest.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter for soup
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for soup
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
  • 3 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 10 oz fully cooked ham cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup whole milk for soup
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour for dumplings
  • 1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter for dumplings cubed
  • 1/2 cup whole milk for dumplings

Method
 

  1. Melt soup butter in a wide 6-quart pot over medium heat. Cook onion and red pepper for 7 minutes, then stir in the tablespoon soup flour for 1 minute.
  2. Gradually stir in broth, then add corn, ham and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the ham reaches 165°F.
  3. Stir in the cup of soup milk and return to a gentle simmer. Mix dumpling flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then rub in the cold butter until small crumbs form.
  4. Stir the separate 1/2 cup dumpling milk into the dry mixture just until a soft dough forms. Use two spoons to drop twelve equal small mounds over the simmering soup, spacing them apart.
  5. Cover tightly and simmer gently for 14 to 16 minutes without lifting the lid. Split one dumpling to check that the center is fluffy with no wet dough; cover and cook for 2 minutes more if needed.
  6. Rest off heat for 3 minutes. Divide chowder among six bowls and add two dumplings to each portion.