SWEET CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 frozen package of whole Sweet Corn - (1 lb / 454 gr)
  • 2 whole Gold Potatoes
  • 4 slices Bacon
  • 1 pound Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined and patted dry
  • 1 tablespoon Butter
  • 1 whole Onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoonn Smoked Paprika (if you like more smoky flavor up to 1 Tablespoon)
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon of Curry
  • 3 cloves Garlic, mince
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cups Chicken Stock
  • Salt and fresh Pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped for garnish
  • ½ cup of cream

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. On a sheet pan drizzle the corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until corn looks golden and starting to chard a bit. Remove and let cool until ready to handle.

Meanwhile, cook your potatoes - you can do this by dicing and placing in a medium pot of salted water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Or you can also use the microwave, once ready, peal them up and place potatoes in a bowl and mash them. Season with a bit of salt and put aside until ready to add to the soup

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat.

Add the bacon and cook rendering the fat. Cook until you get crisp bacon bits - then bring forth all effort to NOT SNACK on those crispy morsels - when you remove them from the fire with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Remove some of the fat until about 2 tablespoons are left in the pot. Add shrimp to the pot and season with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes in the bacon fat. Stir to cook shrimp evenly, do not overcook! You want them a bit undercooked - remember you will be adding them to your final cook chowder and they will continue to cook in the hot soup. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the 2 tablespoons of butter along with the onions to the pot and increase the heat slightly. Sweat out the onions until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved roasted sweet corn kernels to the pot. Stir in and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, curry and cayenne. Stir until everything is coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Deglaze pot with the white wine of your choice. Scrape up any browned bits and simmer until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in potato puree. Taste and if needed, season with salt and cracked pepper.

While stirring start adding the stock. Stir well. Make sure the stock is completely stirred into the mixture. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 10 minutes. Pour the cream last, stir and taste. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Before serving toss in chopped cilantro, reserved shrimp and bacon.