New Orleans Clam Chowder & Corn Recipe

At our local Cajun eatery I have tried a chowder that combines shrimp, craw fish & clams that really knocks your socks off! It tastes some what like clam chowder but it is so much more complex. It has onions, garlic, celery, corn and even a hint of cheese all tied neatly together with just a hint of New Orleans spice and a dash of heat. I can't think of a better way to spend a dreary winters day or a rainy afternoon than enjoying a warm bowl of this wonderful chowder with a good friend or loved one! So that is the dish I am trying to recreate. I figured bacon, shrimp, craw fish, and clams , even if the spices aren't exact, it has to taste pretty good! Use the freshest ingredients you can, I am going to use frozen craw fish, fresh shrimp and canned clams.

Ingredients

2-Cups diced potatoes

5-Thick slices good quality bacon

11/2- Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1/2- Pound peeled, deveined and rinsed shrimp

1- Pound precooked craw fish tails

1-6.5 Ounce can clams

2-Tablespoons butter

1/2-Cup celery chopped

1- Large onion chopped

1-Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2-cup flour

1-Cup corn ( fresh frozen or canned)

3-Cups chicken or seafood stock

2-Cups heavy cream

1/4-Cup chopped parsley

2-Tablespoon Crystal hot sauce

1/4-Teaspoon salt

1/2-Teaspoon ground pepper

1-Cup grated white cheddar cheese

Makes 8 servings

Directions

Begin by boiling 2 cups of diced potatoes then simmer about 10 minutes covered or they are just soft. Then take them off the heat and set aside. Fry the bacon over medium heat. When done remove bacon chop finely and save for garnish. In the bacon drippings, saute the celery and after about two minutes add the onions and cook until onions are transparent. Add the Old Bay seasonings, 2 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour, the minced garlic, salt , pepper and 1 tablespoon of Crystal hot sauce. Stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add 3 cups of stock, juice from canned clams and bring to a boil. Lower to medium heat and add shrimp, craw fish, clams and corn. After 2-3 minutes add cheese & cream continue to cook on medium, stirring until shrimp is pink about 3-5 minutes. Serve up in bowls and garnish with parsley and finely chopped bacon.

How to adjust thickness of chowder. If the chowder becomes too thick add stock or water until it is the right thickness. If the chowder is too thin, take about half a cup of chowder out of the pan and put it in a bowl. Add up to 4 tablespoons of flour to the chowder, beat it with a fork until all lumps are gone. Return the contents of the bowl back to the pan and simmer it for up to 10 minutes while stirring. Repeat if needed.

Adjusting the heat. The spices in the recipe should be acceptable to most people, if you require more heat a few shakes of Crystal hot sauce should be done on an individual basis.

Not everyone likes cheese in their chowder, so make sure there is a consensus, otherwise it is best to add it on an individual basis. I think that most people that try it like it.

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