Crab and Corn Chowder

CRAB AND CORN CHOWDER

I distinctly remember the first time I made this recipe. I was barely old enough to buy alcohol and was still a bit nervous cooking for crowds. I wanted to make it on a cold football Saturday for a boyfriend and some of our friends so I had my mom type it up and email it to me. This chowder will always have a special place in my heart, even if that boyfriend will not lol. It’s not a layer cake so the amounts don’t have to be exact. And you can always add hot sauce or more seasonings to taste. Over the years I have tweaked this but the bones of my mom’s recipe are still there.

With the exception of a colander and measuring cup and couple measuring spoons, this is a one pot meal too which is an added bonus! First you’ll melt some butter and olive oil in a stock pot over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, you start throwing in your veggies. I chop and add as I go, covering in between so the veggies are allowed to sweat and the moisture doesn’t cook off as quickly. Add the celery and potatoes first because they take the longest to soften. Then the carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf. Give that a stir and add the old bay, salt, pepper, and dry/cooking sherry. Cover and cook until the veggies are soft and most of the liquid is cooked off, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. 

When the veggies are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed add the flour and stir to coat. Cook for a minute or two stirring constantly. Then add the chicken broth, cream, milk, and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and add the corn. Continue to cook on low, covered, stirring intermittently for about 10-15 minutes. 

Next add the crab. While the soup continues to simmer on low, ladle out about 1/2 cup of the soup broth into a small bowl and add 1 additional tablespoon of flour. Stir with a fork until smooth then dump back into the soup. You do this instead of just dumping the flour into the soup so that there are lumpy chunks of flour in the soup. Cook for an additional minute or two then turn heat off. Serve warm with crusty bread or in a bread boule topped with scallions, shredded cheddar, and bacon (or anything else your heart desires).

You’re welcome to keep the soup on the stove for an hour or two and then reheat right before serving. Leftovers are good for about 5 days, I reheat in microwave.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup matchstick carrots, or julienned
• 1 diced onion, yellow or vidalia
• 2 peeled and diced russet potatoes, I cut into bite size 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon old bay seasoning (seafood seasoning often near fish counter)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry/cooking sherry
• 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour, divided into 2 and 1
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
•  2 cups sweet white corn, I use frozen
• 1 8 ounce container of jumbo lump crab meat
• optional serving toppings: chopped scallions, cheddar cheese, bacon, hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add the oil.
2. Add the celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, stirring frequently. I add while I chop putting the lid on after each addition so the veggies sweat and contribute to the liquid at the bottom of the pan. Add the salt, pepper, bay leaf, old bay. Then add the sherry and cook covered, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is gone and the veggies have softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and toss veggies to coat. Cook for a minute stirring constantly.
4. Add the chicken broth, cream, milk, and thyme and bring to a low boil (some bubbles popping up on surface).
5. Add the corn and reduce heat to low. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and soup to thicken slightly.
6. While soup summers, dump crab in a colander and run your fingers through to check for shell pieces. Add crab. Stir to combine and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes.
7. OPTIONAL STEP TO THICKEN SOUP, this is totally a personal preference: Ladle 1/2 cup of the soup broth into a small bowl and add remaining tablespoon of flour. Stir to remove lumps and make into a paste. Dump back into soup and stir to mix. Allow to simmer 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat. As soup rests it will continue to thicken a little bit more.
8. Soup is now ready to be served with crusty bread or in bread boules with preferred toppings. In my house we love shredddd cheese, scallions, and hot sauce. My mama always served with crumbled bacon. If you make this and love it please post a pic and tag @thehungriesthousewife #thehungriesthousewife