Crabby Corn Chowder

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The other day I told you about the miserably oppressive heat we've been having here in South Florida. What I didn't tell you was how sluggish, listless and grumpy I've been feeling as a result. At least, that's what my family tells me. I don't usually pay much attention when Mini SGCC tells me I'm being a big meanie. She's a teenager, so what can I say? It's part of her job description. When Mr. SGCC gets into the act, then I know there must be something to it.

Now, I know it's probably hard for you to believe that I'm not always the cheery, perky, charming and loveable blogger that I portray on the Internet, but dear readers, it's true. Little Mary Sunshine, I am not. Sometimes, I am downright crabby! Crabby, crabby, CRABBY! And, running around in 95 degree heat all day long makes me even crabbier. I swear, I can actually feel pinchers growing where my fingers used to be!

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Since I'm looking at another several months of this extreme weather, not to mention hurricane season, I've decided to embrace my crabbiness. Celebrate it, if you will. And, what better way to do it than with this deliciously creamy, smoky, sweet and spicy Crabby Corn Chowder. It's chock full of chunky potatoes, smoky chipotles, onions, fresh sweet corn and succulent morsels of crabmeat, all swimming around in a creamy and buttery seafood broth. It's like heaven in a bowl! Plus, the whole dish can be made in one pot in under an hour.

You can serve this chowder as a first course, but it's substantial enough to make it a meal. Serve it alongside some crusty bread and a tossed salad and you're all set.

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My Crabby Corn Chowder didn't make the temperature any less sweltering, but it definitely improved my mood!

Crabby Corn Chowder
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup chili peppers in adobo sauce, pureed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3-5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups clam juice or fish stock
4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
4 cups fresh corn kernels, scraped from the cob (frozen is okay too)
1 pound fresh lump crab meat
1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
Hot sauce for serving (optional)

Directions:

Heat a deep pot over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter is melted, add potatoes, celery, onion, bay leaves and chipotle peppers to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, mix well and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle in flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in clam juice and half and half and mix well.

Bring soup up to a simmer and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Stir in corn, crab and sherry and simmer for another 5 minutes, until heated through.

Adjust the soup seasonings and remove the bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired.

Serve with some crackers, crusty bread or cornbread.

Serves 6 as a first course and 4 as a main course.

Enjoy!

Seen around the Blogs

Roasted Corn Chowder with Chicken and Cilantro from Karina's Kitchen

Clam and Pork Belly Soup from Wrightfood

Creamy Corn and Clam Soup from Home Cooking Rocks

Corn, Sausage and Potato Chowder from Sing For Your Supper

Thai Green Curry Seafood Chowder from The Spiced Life

Corn Chowder from Simply Recipes

Comments

K Allrich said…
Crabby I can relate to. Especially in oppressive heat. But this chowder looks heavenly. Beautiful. Stay cool!
Snooky doodle said…
what a nice recipe. ooks delicious. I hate summer heat too makes me feel sluggish too
Ingrid_3Bs said…
When crabbiness come in a bowl I'm all about it! MMMMM, you're absolutely right about that being heaven in bowl. I'd love one right now! Then I wouldn't have to cook myself!
~ingrid
What a delightful chowder! Really tasty looking!

Cheers,

Rosa
It's cool where I am, so I'd love a hot bowl of crabby soup. :)
Jen said…
This looks amazing, Susan. It's one of my D's absolute favorites (in fact, ironically, many have been posting his few fave foods today - this chowder, wonderful ribs... oh, dear, I have to check back on who had the ribs - oh! It was My Italian Grandmother), but anyway, this looks just the way crab chowder should be.

Glad it improved your mood a bit!
Jen said…
This looks amazing, Susan. It's one of my D's absolute favorites (in fact, ironically, many have been posting his few fave foods today - this chowder, wonderful ribs... oh, dear, I have to check back on who had the ribs - oh! It was My Italian Grandmother), but anyway, this looks just the way crab chowder should be.

Glad it improved your mood a bit!
Unknown said…
Looks delicious - plus it's all about embracing one's mood, right?!
The Duo Dishes said…
You're making everyone hungry. Our fave addition to corn soup is tarragon and sundried tomatoes. So good!
Patsyk said…
I love a nice chowder and the addition of crab would just put it over the top for me!
Put a crab in the chowder and I am moving in Susan:D
Ciao Chow Linda said…
I could go for a bowl of that crab chowder with all the cool, rainy weather we've had in the northeast. looks great.
That looks so good, even during a hot day. I always love your pictures.
Coleens Recipes said…
What a GREAT photo! I can not imagine your heat! We actually had a heavy frost last night that almost killed my basil! We actually had ice floating in the water bucket in the garden!! That is very bizarre weather even for Alaska.
This sounds great!! The pictures make it look even better!
I'm crabby for the opposite reason. I am not getting enough sunshine and hot weather. Can you send some of the Florida weather up to NY please?

I do love corn chowder, even if I"m not big on crabs. What can I say? I'm a Cancer. It would be like cannibalism. :-)
Anonymous said…
What a yummy bowl of chowder! The flavors with chipotle and crab sound excellent!
Manggy said…
Oh no, it's sticky, gooey, creamy, chewy, crabby accident prawn on the warpath! Look out! ;) I'm glad your mood was improved somewhat!
Chinese crab and corn (thickened with eggs and starch, not dairy and potatoes) is one of my absolute favorites when it's cold and stormy out. This is, like, all Westernized, but the flavors are universally awesome :)
Sara said…
Yummy yummy! I love corn soup. I can't wait for corn season to be in full swing up here in the mid Atlantic. Sweet summer corn in the best. I will be saving this recipe for when I am knee deep in fresh corn!
Anonymous said…
Your chowder looks so delicious.
Debbie said…
Susan, I get crabby too when it's just so hot outside! Your soup looks good...please send a bowl up here!
Nina Timm said…
The soup would have lifted my mood too, for sure!!!
Deborah said…
The heat makes me crabby, too! This looks amazing!
Elise said…
What? You're NOT Little Miss Mary Sunshine?

LOL. That's what my grandmother used to call us kids when we came down for breakfast all grumpy sleepy.

Brilliant idea of combining chipotle and crab with the corn chowder. No wonder it's taking the edge of your crabbiness!
It's been cool and raining here for weeks on end!

I love both crab and corn so this is a perfect combination..yum!
Kim said…
This is what I need to do, embrace my crabbiness with this yummy looking chowder. It is hot here as well. Every summer, I swear that I am going to move to Maine.
Admin said…
This chowder looks amazing - so rich yet fresh and refreshing at the same time. Definitely a bookmarker.
cheap said…
yummy !!! its really tasty looking.
This looks so delicious. I had a blue crab and blue corn chowder once in New Orleans that was so good.

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