Shrimp, Scallop, Corn and Tomato Chowder

When an American hears the term “chowder” it typically brings to mind three very traditional hearty soups: “New England style” seafood chowder with its heavily thickened cream or milk base, “Manhattan style” seafood chowder with a base of chopped or pureed tomatoes, and vegetarian corn chowder which typically involves a creamy broth base. I’m fond of all three of these excellent dinnertime soups but decided to take a new tack here by combining what I consider the best qualities of each dish in a lighter, brighter, spicier, and more vegetable-rich form. Perhaps it might be called “New Manhattan style” chowder.

This recipe includes fresh wild-caught shrimp, bay scallops, fresh corn, bacon, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and jalapeno pepper in a shrimp broth with a touch of cream for added smoothness. Served with a side salad and bread, this flavorful chowder makes a lovely meal for seafood lovers.

ingredient

1 – 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, head-on large shrimps (please refer to the notes below the recipe if such shrimps are unavailable to you)
1/2 pound shelled bay (small) scallops, which are preferred, or sea (large) scallops (the latter quartered)
3 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 slices smoked bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 cup celery and its leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno or other hot green pepper
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon unbleached flour
1 28-ounce can cubed tomatoes
3 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
1/4 cup cream, half-and-half, or condensed milk
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

preparation

1. Remove the shrimps’ tails, peels, and heads and place these in a large saucepan. Set aside the shrimp meat in a bowl for later use in this recipe. In the saucepan, boil the shrimp tails, peels, and heads with the water and lemon juice for 10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and set aside for later use in this recipe.
2. In a large Dutch oven, sauté the chopped bacon in the olive oil on medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for an additional two minutes. Stir in the celery, chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeno pepper, and thyme. Sauté for two additional minutes. Reduce the burner heat to medium, sprinkle on the flour, stir well, and sauté for two additional minutes. Gradually add, stirring continuously, the cubed tomatoes, their juices, and the strained shrimp broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the corn kernels to the mixture in the Dutch oven and simmer for an additional three minutes. Add the reserved raw shrimp, scallops, parsley, cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer for an additional two minutes or until the shrimp and scallops lose their translucence. Taste and correct the seasoning, if needed, by adding salt, pepper, and/or crushed red pepper, to taste. Serves 4 as a main course or 6-8 as a soup course.

notes:
Fresh shrimps with heads, tails, and peels intact are recommended for this recipe because the latter provide the shrimp broth that adds so much flavor to this soup. If such shrimp are unavailable to you, you may either (1) make your own fish broth by simmering a small, cheap fish fillet in 3 cups water for 10 minutes, (2) substitute 3 cups canned fish stock for the water shown in this recipe, or (3) substitute 3 cups canned chicken broth for the water shown in this recipe.

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