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Shrimp + Bacon + Corn "Chowda"

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Living: A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen"


Recipe Introduction

"I'm a sucker for warm, hearty chowders. To me, there's no better comfort food to fight back a chilly Southern night. THat being said, traditional chowders can be both time-consuming to prepare and overladen with butter and heavy cream. Not this one. I purée the mixture to allow the natural starches in the vegetables to naturally thicken the soup so it requires about half the amount of cream, which really saves on fat and calories. From there, I add just a bit of cheese and cream to comfort the soul. This rustic, weeknight-friendly meal doesn't take too much time to prepare. Lighter and quicker, without any sacrifice in flavor — that's always a winner in my book."

List of Ingredients

◦  2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
◦  4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
◦  2 ears sweet yellow corn
◦  4 center-cut bacon slices, diced
◦  1 medium Vidalia or sweet onion, finely diced
◦  3 celery ribs, finely diced
◦  2 large unpeeled russet potatoes, finely diced
◦  3 cloves garlic, minced
◦  1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
◦  1 cup heavy whipping cream
◦  2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
◦  ½ teaspoon kosher salt
◦  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

Peel shrimp and devein, if desired, reserving shells for Quick Shrimp Stock. Prepare Quick Shrimp Stock.

Cut kernels from cobs, discarding cobs. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 1 minute or until hot. Add bacon, and sauté 4 minutes. Add onion, celery, and corn kernels; sauté 4 more minutes. Add potatoes and garlic; sauté 4 more minutes.

Stir in Quick Shrimp Stock, and bring to a light boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 8 minutes.

Transfer half of mixture to blender. Remove center piece of lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Purée 10 seconds, leaving mixture chunky. Return processed mixture to Dutch oven.

Stir in shrimp, cheese, and whipping cream, and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink and cheese is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in chives, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.


Makes 10½ cups


Quick Shrimp Stock:

â—¦ Resered shrimp shells
â—¦ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ 4 whole peppercorns
â—¦ 1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients and 4 cups water in a Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.

Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding shrimp shells, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Use stock immediately, or freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months.

Makes 4 cups



• Note:
Soup can be processed with a handheld immersion blender on low setting. Be careful not to over-process soup — leave a chunky, rustic texture.