Crab & Corn Chowder

~One base, so many inspirations. After I made the étouffée, I kept tasting it in my mind; the buttery aroma cooked into a myriad of onions, garlic, celery, and sweet bell pepper. There had to be another way of utilizing these fantastic flavors. And then I had it; crab and corn chowder! The base flavors of this dish play wonderfully against flaky crab and crisp corn kernels. For a more luxurious version, replace with Dungeness crab meat. Serve with toasted sourdough, bruschetta, or homemade croutons.

Special Equipment:

  6 qt stock pot

  blender

Ingredients:

2 lbs canned crab meat

3 fresh corn cobs

1 large onion- chopped

3 large shallots- chopped

5 celery stalks- chopped

1 large green bell pepper- chopped
5 scallions-chopped

2 garlic bulbs- minced
2 bay leaves

4 tbsp clam base

2 sticks unsalted sweet butter 

2 cups flour
8 cups water

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. In a stockpot over medium low heat, melt the butter and stir in flour. Keep stirring occasionally until roux is cooked through, approximately 20-25min. 
2. While roux is cooking, chop and mince all vegetables, except corn. Cut corn kernels from cob and set apart from other vegetables.
3. Add all vegetables (except corn) into roux and mix thoroughly. Reduce heat and cover for 5min.
4. Add water, clam base, and bay leaves. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer for about 15-20min. Stir occasionally to prevent bottom from sticking.
5. Taste and season more clam base if necessary. Discard bay leaves.
6. Pour contents into a blender and puree. This may need to be done in batches. Pour pureed contents back into pot.
7. Set on pot medium heat. Stir in crab and corn. Cover and simmer for 10min.
8. Stir in Parmesan. Dish into individual bowls. Top with more crab if desired.