SHELLFISH AND CORN CHOWDER: WARNING ITS DELICIOUS

This Yields approximately 48 fl. oz, so make sure you have a huge saucepot!

What you'll need:

• 2 qt. water
• 8 fl. oz white wine
• 8 oz or about 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 4 oz or about 1 cup chopped celery
• 8 oz or about 1 1/2 cups chopped carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 8 fl oz of clam juice
• 1 lb of your favorite shellfish ( I used jumbo shrimp, but crab, or lobster will do just fine!)
• 1 TBS red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp creole seasoning (Tony Cachere's)
• 2 TBS tomato paste
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 fl oz of Cognac or Brandy
• 2 oz of whole butter (unsalted)
• 1 red bell pepper diced small
• 3 oz or about 1/2 cup small diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 4 TBS all purpose flour
• small can of corn kernels ( I used 11 oz can) drain excess liquid. You can always use more corn if you like.
• 12 fl. oz of heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. combine the water, wine, first batch of onions, celery, carrots, garlic and clam juice to the saucepot and bring to a boil.
2. add the shellfish and cook til pink. Lobster about 8 min, same for crab, about 2-3 for shrimp MAKE SURE THE SHELL IS ON!
3. remove the shellfish from the cooking liquid and remove meat from the shell.
4. crush the shell and return it to the cooking liquid with the tomato paste, peppercorns, bay leaf, cognac, cayenne and creole seasoning. Taste, add kosher salt if it tastes flat, I added a good handful of salt here.
5. Simmer stock for 1 hour to extract as much flavor from the shells and veggies as possible.
6. strain the stock through a china cap (strainer), pressing firmly with the back of a ladle to remove as much liquid as possible from the shells.  This should yield about 24 fluid oz of liquid. Add water if you don't have enough of the stock left over.
7. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepot.  Sweat the bell pepper, onion and garlic for one minute.  Add the flour to make a roux and cook for 3-5 min.  Whisk in the stock, bring to a boil, reuce to a simmer and cook for 15 min.
8. Add the corn kernels.  Scald the cream and add it to the soup.  Bring the soup to a simmer and adjust the salt and pepper seasonings.
9. Dice the shellfish meat and add it to the soup
10. SERVE AND ENJOY!

I hope ya'll love this recipe as much as I did!
Steph :)