Corn Chowder with Red Peppers and Pancetta

Ingredients

• 5  ears corn (7 to 8 in.)
• 6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth 
• 6 servings salt and fresh-ground pepper 
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 2  oregano sprigs dried rinsed ( 3 in.)
• 0.3 pound pancetta diced sliced
• 0.8 lb thin-skinned potatoes diced red scrubbed
• 7 oz roasted peppers red drained chopped
• 0.5 cup whipping cream 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• knife
• blender
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Husk corn, discard husks and silks, and rinse ears. With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cobs into a bowl.
2. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir pancetta until lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to towels to drain.
3. Add onions to pan; stir frequently until they're just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add corn, potatoes, peppers, broth, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes mash easily when pressed, about 15 minutes. Discard oregano sprigs.
5. In a blender, whirl about 1/3 of the soup mixture (use a towel to hold down blender lid) until smooth.
6. Pour pure back into pan with remaining soup.
7. Add cream and stir until soup is hot, about 1 minute.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls; top equally with cooked pancetta.