Shrimp and Corn Chowder

I cant not post this recipe after making it again this past weekend and talking about how delicious it is……I came across this recipe online somewhere. I loved the colors of the pinky shrimp with the yellow corn and green poblano peppers. It looked colorful and delicious. I held on to it for a while….then shrimp went on sale at the supermarket so I snagged some and decided to try this chowder out!

The ingredients

Peppers, onions, and celery

There is a small amount of prep work involved – chopping peppers and onions and peeling/deveining/chopping shrimp…..But the creaminess and taste make up for it. I also decided to throw in some red peppers to give it more color. When chopping the poblano peppers, make sure to wear latex gloves so you dont touch yourself later on and burn your skin/eyes.

Cooking the Corn Roux

The processed corn roux

There is a zing of cayenne and pepper at the end of each bite that lingers in your memory long after you’ve licked the bowl clean. This is the kind of soup that makes you post about how awesome it is on facebook (GUILTY)!

Sauteeing the Veggies

Simmering Chowder

This chowder is PACKED with corn – so if you are a corn-lover, this is for you. It also freezes well so you can put it into tupperware in the freezer for work lunches throughout the week!

So Delicious

• 1 medium, sweet onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter and/or rendered bacon fat
• 2 large poblano peppers, seeded and chopped (wear gloves when you handle)
• 2 16-ounce packages of frozen sweet corn, thawed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons (or more) flour
• ~28 ounces chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (I use Whole Milk instead of cream to save calories)
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped (I use 2 pounds shrimp)
• small bunch fresh cilantro (can also use parsley instead)
• lime wedges, for serving

Prepare creamed corn from one package of frozen corn (or fresh corn, if available). Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, for about a minute until the arrowroot is blended in smoothly. Add one package of corn and a good dollop of heavy cream to almost cover the corn, continuing to stir over medium heat until it thickens up. Add a little chicken broth, if it is too thick. Use an immersible blender (or food processor) to puree the corn, leaving small bits of corn kernels intact. Season with kosher salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

In a stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons bacon fat or butter. Add onion, celery, and poblano peppers; saute until soft (around 6 minutes). Add creamed corn, the second package of thawed corn, chicken broth, the remaining cream, and cayenne pepper. Add honey, if needed (some corn is sweeter than other corn and may not need sweetening). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at least 15 minutes.

If you would like the chowder to be thicker, remove about 1/4 cup of liquid from the pot and mix with 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour to make a smooth paste. Whisk back into the simmering soup and continue to cook until desired consistency is reached.

Add shrimp and cilantro; simmer gently until shrimp are cooked through (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot, with a good squeeze of lime juice.

TIP: As mentioned above, wear rubber gloves when handling the poblano pepper to prevent the spicy juice from transmitting to your hands. This way, if you touch your face or rub your eyes, you wont experience the painful burn. Take it from someone with experience….