Summer Corn and Shrimp Chowder

I know, I know. Summer is over. This is truly one of my favorite times of year, when summer produce meets the fall. In Portland summer doesn’t want to quit. It’s supposed to be 86 this weekend, on October 1st! However today is drizzly and gray and perfect for this soup.

I made corn chowder a few weeks ago when I had some extra corn from our CSA. I gave it a bit of a southern vibe, with green bell peppers and Chesapeake Bay seasoning. I decided then and there that next time I would add shrimp. It’s Phillie’s favorite seafood, and I knew it would round out the flavors well.

This soup only takes about 45 minutes to an hour to cook. I definitely recommend getting the base started first and then chopping your veggies to save time.

Summer Corn and Shrimp Chowder (serves 6)

• 4 corn on the cob, husk and corn silk removed
• 1 # medium shrimp, deveined and peeled, shells reserved
• 6 quarts water
• 4 bacon strips
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 celery stalk
• 1 medium sized green or red bell pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (see note)
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 4 Yukon Gold or red potatoes
• 2 oz heavy whipping cream
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped chives, parsley and/or green onion to garnish

1. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs, and reserve for later. Cover the corn cobs and shrimp shells with the 6 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into lardons or dice. Heat a large heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon. Crisp up the bacon and render the fat, turning the heat down to low as necessary.
3. While the bacon is cooking, chop the veggies. Cut the onion, celery and bell pepper into small or medium dice. Thinly slice the garlic. When the bacon fat has rendered add the vegetables to the bacon. Sweat the veggies. Add the corn kernels and spices. Cook for a few more minutes.
4. Dice the potatoes into bite sized pieces.
5. Strain the broth into the soup pot using a fine mesh strainer. Discard the cobs and shrimp shells. Add the potatoes to the soup.
6. Bring the soup to a boil and then turn down to medium-low. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the shrimp and the cream. Cook until the shrimp are done. You may be able to even turn off the heat when you add the shrimp.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.

Note: My favorite Chesapeake Bay seasonings are from Spice House and Penzey’s. They have a lot of depth to their flavor. Old Bay is one that most people are familiar with. All contain varying amounts of salt so keep that in mind when you are seasoning.