President Casino Potato Chowder

Source: President Casino - St. Louis, Missouri

3 potatoes, peeled
1 1/4 cups diced onion
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
2 teaspoons chicken base (see note)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoon bacon bits
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. (You should have about 3 cups.) Add potatoes and onion to 3 cups water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in chicken base, pepper, cream and bacon bits; simmer 10 minutes. Stir cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water. Gradually stir into chowder; cook until thickened.

Taste; adjust seasonings.

Yields 6 (1-cup) servings.

NOTE: Chicken base is a super-concentrated bouillon, formerly available only to restaurants, but now easily found in grocery stores. Some brands of chicken base even contain real chicken and need to be refrigerated. Though there is much more flavor packed into a teaspoonful of base than in an equal amount of bouillon granules or cubes, it is still very salty. Taste often as you add it in small increments.