SEAFOOD CORN CHOWDER
Now that summer is coming to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to make one last dish to celebrate the season. And what would be better than something with fresh seafood and something that requires minimum cooking effort in this scorching weather?
I decided to make a delicious Seafood Corn Chowder, chock full of seafood and veggies – lobster, scallops, crabmeat, shrimp, fresh corn, multi-colored bell peppers, onions, potatoes, garlic and spices, all cooked in a chicken stock finished with cream and garnished with fresh chives and parsley. It’s heaven in a bowl, really.
I made this chowder in my gorgeous KitchenAid® Professional Seven-Ply 8-Quart Stockpot, which is perfect for making soups, stews, chili, and one-pot dishes for a crowd. It’s extra large and made out of multi-layered stainless steel so it’s sturdy and heats up quickly and evenly. It also has optional pasta and steamer inserts, which I love, that fit right inside the large pot and lid. This is definitely one of my favorite go-to pots that I use for everything and it all fits conveniently together with a stainless steel lid to seal in moisture and heat.
This chowder was super delicious and so easy to make – and it definitely hits the spot on a hot summer day!
Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp paring knife or corncob cutter and set aside.
Peel and dice your potatoes into medium size chunks. Prep the other veggies by dicing the onions and peppers, and cut a stick of cold butter into small pieces.
In the large stockpot, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the peppers and onions, and cook until they begin to soften for about 2 minutes. Add the Creole seasoning, and cook for another minute.
Add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for about 8 minutes or so until the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat.
Measure out and rinse your seafood (crab meat, lobster meat, scallops, shrimp).
Stir in the cooked lobster, crabmeat, raw shrimp, raw scallops into the chowder and cover. Let stand for a few minutes until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Stir in the corn, heavy cream, lemon peel, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 3 minutes or so until the shrimp and scallops are cooked through.
Serve the chowder in bowls and garnish with fresh chives and parsley.
SEAFOOD CORN CHOWDER
Makes 8-10 servingsINGREDIENTS
3 ears of fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off
2 large baking potatoes, diced
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced (or use mix of yellow, red, orange, green)
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere’s)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound bay scallops
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat
6 ounces cooked lump crabmeat
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried lemon peel (or fresh lemon zest)
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp paring knife or corn cob cutter and set aside.
Peel and dice your potatoes into medium size chunks.
Prep your other veggies by dicing the onions and peppers, and cut a stick of cold butter into small pieces.
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the peppers and onions, and cook until they begin to soften for about 2 minutes. Add the Creole seasoning, and cook for another minute.
Add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for about 8 minutes or so until the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat.
Stir in the cooked lobster, crabmeat, raw shrimp, raw scallops into the chowder and cover. Let stand for a few minutes until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Stir in the corn, heavy cream, lemon peel, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 3 minutes or so until the shrimp and scallops are cooked through.
Serve the chowder in bowls and garnish with fresh chives and parsley.
