Spring has sprung! Recipe for the NE Soup Challenge Winner – Light And Hearty Roasted Corn And Native Shrimp Chowder

Winning Soup - Roasted Corn and Native Shrimp Chowder

Winning Soup – Roasted Corn and Native Shrimp Chowder

I was fortunate enough to be one of the 4 judges for the ultimate Soup Challenge™ at Le Cordon Bleu – The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts that took place March 5, 2011. Each of the five NE finalist’s homemade soup recipes was paired against one of New England Country Soup’s popular flavors for a comparison of nutrition and taste. The lucky winner would win a weekend for two in beautiful Martha’s Vineyard.

M. Peter Thomson, President of New England Country Foods LLC, served as gracious host and MC for this event, which was open to the public. It is obvious that he has a true love for the art soup making and his support and enthusiasm shown towards each of these amateur soup crafters was contagious. In the stunning backdrop of the sate of the art test kitchen at Technique the restaurant at College of Culinary Arts, the winner was determined. Laurie’s Light & Hearty Roasted Corn and Native Shrimp Chowder was the favorite!

 

Roasted Corn And Native Shrimp Chowder

Serves 8-10
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Total time 1 hour, 20 minutes
Meal type Corn, Onions, Potato, Shrimp, Turkey Bacon
Season Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Frozen corn, drained (use fresh if it is corn season here in New England!)
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
  • 2 tbsp Sea salt, divided
  • 2 tsp Ground black pepper
  • 8 cups Low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 lbs Red potatoes, cut in to 3/4 inch dice
  • 4 oz Turkey bacon, diced
  • 3 cups Sweet onion, diced
  • 3 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used native Maine Gulf shrimp in season but any shrimp can be used. If using larger shrimp, cut in half)
  • 12 oz Evaporated milk- (1 can)

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2 Lightly spray two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
3 In a large bowl, toss corn with one-tablespoon olive oil, two teaspoons salt and black pepper and spread in a single layer on baking sheets.
4 Roast corn in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until corn is lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
5 Meanwhile, on the stovetop, cook diced potatoes in chicken broth until tender. Drain potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid and set aside.
6 In a large pot, brown diced bacon with remaining two tablespoons olive oil until crispy. Remove browned bits from the pan and set aside. Add diced onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7 Add all of the potato cooking liquid and half of the potatoes to the onion mixture. Puree mixture until smooth with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor.
8 Once smooth, bring mixture to a simmer. Add remaining potatoes, roasted corn and shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are cooked through and potatoes and corn are hot.
9 Stir in evaporated milk and serve hot, garnishing with reserved turkey bacon bits if desired.

 

Who needs a chowder full of fat and calories when you can enjoy this delicious chowder without guilt? Not me! This rich hearty chowder has all of a chowder with cream but is surprisingly low in all that is bad for you. In my recipe I use the native Maine Gulf shrimp but if it is not Maine shrimp season then any shrimp can be used.

Also, if corn is in season, substitute fresh for frozen. This chowder is a big hit with my Dad as it uses evaporated milk instead of cream, just like his Mom used when she used to make her famous Essex Clam Chowder.

I hope you enjoy it!

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