The Home Cook: Seafood Corn Chowder

Just in case you were wondering, it's fall. The calendar tells me we have entered mid-October and the weather is just saying burrrrr. All of this equals soup. Fall is the official beginning of soup season (as well as scarf season, sweater season and the ever dreaded cold weather season). But to help battle the nasty chill that our house always seems to take on this time or year, a big ol' pot of soup, stew or chowder always seems to fit the bill.

I'll be the first to say I'm not always a big soup fan, there are team favorites (Potato Bacon from Pauly's or Bennigans, Minestrone from the Spaghetti Factory, Mom's Chicken Wild Rice or Chili and even the occasional can of Tomato courtesy Campbell's) but by and large I'm often happier to bypass the soups in favor of salads or potato products. There is just a huge element of mystery in most soups that I have a hard time getting past. That and many soups liberally use members of the legume/lentil family...a group I am on shaky terms with.

Regardless, last summer in an effort to expand my horizons I dallied with a recipe for Summer Corn Chowder. It was...ok, Tim liked it and I could see it's potential for a nice quick supper. The recipe stayed. Fast-forward to last week, it was cold, I wanted soup...but after watching way too much of Bobby Flay's Throwdown on Food Network I was inspired to experiment on my previously improved corn chowder recipe. And seafood was the name of the game. I was yenning to try a seafood corn chowder concoction and after splicing together the existing recipe with a little Rachael Ray, a little Epicurious.com and some of my own ideas we had created a yummy and filling Seafood Corn Chowder.

I couldn't find/afford to use lobster so I opted for crab and shrimp, knowing that I could still get a bit of the ocean with out having to sell my car for the ingredients. And while I didn't use the clam juice that a majority of the recipes called for, I think I would try to include it next time. The over all result could have had a bit more "fishyness" to it and I think the clam juice would help...though I think 3 1/2 cups of the stuff (as called for in one recipe) is over kill, I'm thinking a few tablespoons would more than fit the bill. I was really pleased with how it turned out, though I think it actually tasted better the next day after everything had a chance to meld a bit...oh, and as far as leftovers go. Reheat using the stove...in this case the microwave is NOT our friend. This garnishes well with minced chives and oyster crackers, though by the time I got to taking the picture I had run out of both...so to everyone, I can say that it looks more appetizing when garnished. So lesson learned, for a prettier picture...garnish, garnish, garnish.

One final bit, I half this recipe and that nets enough for supper and leftovers for two.

Seafood Corn Chowder

4 slices Bacon, diced

1 large Shallot, minced

1-2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 large or about 10 baby Carrots, diced

1 Celery Rib, diced

1 Bay Leaf

1 medium or 2 baby Potatoes peeled, cubed & par boiled

1 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

3 Tablespoons Flour

5 cups reduced-sodium Chicken or Vegetable Broth

2 fresh Thyme sprigs or upto 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Thyme

4 cups Frozen White Kernel Sweet Corn (or fresh from about 6 ears)

1 cup Half and Half

Salt and Pepper to Taste

4-8 oz Crab or Lobster, cooked and cut into bite size pieces

4-8 oz Shrimp, minced in a food processor or cut into bite size pieces

Optional: Tabasco Sauce or Cayenne Pepper to taste

Garnish: Chives, Oyster Crackers or a bit of crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

Place the minced bacon in the bottom of a heavy pot, saute until about half cooked. Add the diced shallot, carrots, celery and garlic, lightly saute until shallots are clear and bacon is crisp. Sprinkle the flour and Old Bay over the mirepoix (veggie and bacon blend); cook, stirring, for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the broth; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While simmering, puree 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the corn and set aside.

Add the remaining whole kernel corn, salt, pepper, thyme and half-and-half; cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pureed corn, crab, shrimp and par boiled potatoes. Cook until crab and potatoes are heated through. Optional: Remove from heat, partially cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow for base to thicken.

Serve in bread bowls with garnishes of choice.

Happy Thing: This is going to sound oh, so weird but it's cold enough for tomato soup and grilled cheese for supper!