Crab and Corn Chowder

If you never cook a single thing on this blog (Cousin Nancy, this means you!), make sure you prepare this fabulous Crab and Corn Chowder! Served with a salad and baguette, this makes the perfect supper for two! 

Crab and Corn Chowder:

2 cooked cobs of fresh corn (see Amazing Note) or 1 c. canned niblet corn, drained

3 slices lean bacon, chopped

1 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium onion, diced (see Slightly Embarrassing Note)

2 c. fish, chicken, or vegetable stock

½ c. instant mashed potato flakes

½ c. light cream

¾ tsp. dried thyme leaves

½ tsp. cajun seasoning

¼ lb. (about ¾ c.) fresh crab meat (see Bargain of the Century Note)

1 tbsp. bourbon or a bourbon blend such as Southern Comfort (optional)

Slice corn into niblets and set aside (See that amazing Note now! Wow!). Fry bacon until crisp in a large, heavy pot; remove and set aside. Add butter or margarine to pot, swirling with bacon fat on medium heat until melted. Add garlic and onion (Let’s just skip the slightly embarrassing Note, shall we?), frying until soft. Add stock and bring to a boil. Gradually sift in potato flakes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer, adding corn, bacon, cream, thyme, and cajun seasoning. Cover and simmer 20 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in crab meat, simmering 5 min. longer. Just before serving, stir in 1 tbsp. bourbon. Ladle into bowls and serve piping hot. Serves 2.

Amazing Note: You will not believe this trick, Dollinks! See the Index for my June 4, 2012 post for How to Shuck and Cook Corn. You’re bound to fall in love with  “clean ears” Ken!

Slightly Embarrassing Note: I forgot to add onions to the grocery list, so used about a million little pearl onions I happened to have kicking around the fridge. These took forever to chop - but no time at all to peel.  To peel these little guys, snip the root end, pour boiling water over the onions for 1 min., drain, soak briefly in ice water bath, and the skins will slip right off.  

The best crab buy
in North America!

Bargain of the Century Note: Believe me, Dollinks, this blog is impartial. I don’t and won’t advertise for anyone at any price, so any recommendation I make is sincere. I say that because it’s rare for me to promote a product once - let alone twice! Once again, I must praise the high-quality, vacuum-packed, wild-caught crab I bought in the refrigerated deli case in Costco. 

(I last spoke about this product in my April 16, 2011 blog titled Best Crab Dip Ever). The brand name is Phillips, it comes from Baltimore, and - although the price has gone up since I last mentioned it - it’s still a steal at $11 for nearly a pound of the stuff.

See what "clean ears" Ken has to say about this!

Slice off niblets

Teeny, weeny mistake: Buy a big onion, honey!

Chop-chop-chop-chop bacon

Onions, garlic, booze ...

Add stock to onion and garlic

Sift in instant mashed potato flakes

Take a moment to inhale

Add crab just at the end

And ladle into bowls! Utterly, divinely delicious!