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1
Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until the bacon is soft and much of the fat is rendered. Remove about half to 2/3 of the bacon fat, leaving about a Tablespoon. (Be strong! Resist the urge to leave in the bacon fat. You're adding butter and cheese shortly, and - trust me -the dish WILL get too greasy).
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2
Add onion and red bell pepper and continue to saute until vegetables are soft and bacon is slightly crisp, about 5 minutes more.
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3
Melt in the butter, then tumble in your corn kernels, along with the garlic and chipotle. Turn the heat to medium and saute until the corn begins to get a bit soft, about 5 minutes.
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4
Turn the heat to high and stir in the cream, chicken broth, sugar, and black pepper (hold off on the salt for now). Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half. Taste the mixture for texture and salt level. Cook longer if necessary, adding some more half & half if needed (As an alternative to more half & half, you can add more chicken broth, or even low-fat milk). Add a pinch of salt if necessary (Note: Be careful with the salt - keep in mind the bacon and chicken broth contain salt, and so does the parmesan you'll be adding in a moment, so you may only need to add a small amount of salt. You can always add more salt at the end, but removing it ain't so easy!).
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5
When the corn is cooked and sauce is clinging to the corn, remove from the heat and stir in cheese. (Note: Never boil liquids after adding cheese; the cheese's oils may separate).
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6
Taste and adjust salt & pepper, sugar, and/or chipotle. Serve warm, garnished with chopped chives or parsley.
