When the corn is fresh, it's time for chowder. Make magic with the goodness from the earth, simply with corn and potatoes.

One of my most often requested soup recipes, especially during summer when the farms are abundant with fresh, candy-like corn and our famous Long Island East End Yukon Potatoes.

It is known that eastern Long Island has some of the best soil for farming in the world. Off the record, I have had some farmers tell me - that farmers in other regions are envious of the rich, well-drained earth here on the East End. Adding the pancetta and chicken adds flavor and protein for a hearty meal, or omit it for a lighter, warm-weather soup.

Summer Corn Chowder

Makes four to six servings

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1 Tablespoon olive oil

Optional: 4 Tablespoons pancetta or bacon, chopped

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

Optional: 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped carrot, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups corn (about 4 ears), fresh cut from the cob, or leftover grilled corn

1 cup Yukon potatoes, well-scrubbed skin left on, chopped 1/4 inch pieces

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch of sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, or one sprig fresh thyme

Preheat a soup pot to medium temperature. Add olive oil and pancetta, and cook until light brown. Add onion, garlic, and chicken and cook until lightly colored.

Add carrot and celery, and cook for three to four minutes. Add flour, cook for two minutes, and slowly add chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil, and add corn, potatoes, thyme, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Simmer the soup for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat half-and-half, add sea salt and pepper to the soup, and top with fresh chopped parsley or fresh thyme.

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My inspiration for this chowder is living so close to the water with an abundance of fresh seafood to choose from. The nice part of this recipe is its versatility. The first part of the chowder is a rich tomato broth base, and the second part is adaptable, allowing you to swap out any of the seafood based on seasonal availability and your own personal preference.

Is it soup or stew? Early versions of chowder originated from the New England area: a frugal recipe consisting of pork fat, onions, potatoes, fish, herbs, and dry biscuits or flour for thickening. The ingredients were layered in a pot and cooked in water, with a bit of milk added at the end. In the 1800s, Manhattan clam chowder was notable for containing tomatoes. Manhattan clam chowder has been described as "that rather horrendous soup resembling a vegetable soup that accidentally had some clams dumped into it." All respect, Mr. Beard, but those are fighting words. As a New Yorker and from coastal Long Island, an East Ender, we take our chowder VERY seriously.

Tomato-based clam chowders emerged with the newfound popularity of the tomato in the mid-1800s, particularly in the New York and Rhode Island regions, where large populations of Italians and Portuguese were established. In 1939, Maine legislators introduced a bill outlawing tomatoes in chowder because it is far more of a vegetable soup. What?

Manhattan Style Seafood Chowder, "Hee-ah er wicked good CHOWDAH"!

Makes 6-8 servings

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1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup fennel, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup carrots, chopped

2 cups Yukon potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1/2 pieces

2 cups fresh plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped or 1 (28 ounce can of chopped San Marzano tomatoes)

2 cups vegetable or fish broth

1 teaspoon dried basil

For the seafood:

1 dozen fresh littleneck clams

1/2 pound fresh cod, cut into one-inch pieces

1/4 pound calamari, cleaned and cut into thin rings

1 pound mussels, cleaned

a few leaves of fresh flat-leaf parsley, basil, and oregano

fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat a large soup pot to medium temperature. Add olive oil, onions, fennel, carrots, and garlic, and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, broth, potatoes, and dried basil. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer for 10 minutes. Add clams and cod fish and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Add fresh basil, parsley, and mussels, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mussels open.

Add fresh ground black pepper to taste & serve immediately.

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