Jersey Corn and Shrimp Chowder
In the Philadelphia region it seems that few vegetables are judged as seriously as the summer corn on the cob. Jersey corn is a particular favorite especially for picking up to and from the Jersey shore points. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten summer corn on the cob when the quality and sweetness level wasn’t thoroughly discussed while eating. Seriously, almost as commonly as the weather.
While Jersey corn on the cob is a delicious favorite, it also makes a delicious Jersey Corn and Shrimp Chowder. Enjoy the seasonal sweet peak!
Jersey Corn and Shrimp Chowder
Notes
Chowder will yield enough for 8 cups of soup or a hearty meal for 4 in bowls plus more depending on bowl size, extra corn broth may be frozen and is delicious used in preparing soups
Ingredients
- For the Corn and Broth:
- 6 ears Jersey corn, shucked, rinsed of outer silk
- 4 cups water
- 1-2 pinches sugar
- For the Shrimp and Shrimp Stock:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined, chopped, SHELLS RESERVED
- For the Shrimp Stock:
- reserved shells from shrimp
- 1 small onion, halved
- 1 carrot halved
- 1 stalk celery, halved
- 1 small tomato, quartered
- 6 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup white wine
- For Preparing the Chowder:
- 2 thick slices smoked bacon, snipped into one inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced three quarters of inch thick
- 2 carrots, peeled, sliced around three quarters of an inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 medium sized potatoes, peeled, cubed
- good pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 1/2- 5 cups shrimp stock and some corn broth (directions & ingredients within the recipe below)
- 1/2-3/4 cup half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- few grinds fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Preparing the Corn and Broth: On high heat, boil 4 cups of water in a soup pot, sprinkle a good pinch of sugar into the water. Drop in the cobs, cook for 3 minutes, turn off heat, let corn sit for one-minute then transfer to a cutting board. Keep the corn water in the pot
- Once corn is cool to the touch scrape kernels from the cobs, transfer corn to a bowl and return the stripped cobs to the reserved corn water, simmer the cobs on medium heat until the corn broth is reduced to half the amount, discard cobs, strain into a large bowl, clean out the soup pot
- Refrigerate peeled shrimp on a plate covered with plastic wrap
- Preparing the Shrimp Stock: Tumble the reserved shrimp shells into a medium sized saucepan. Add in the onion, carrot, celery, tomato, peppercorns, bay leaves and the wine, cover with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to very low and simmer until stock is reduced, around twenty minutes, until liquid is reduced, turn off heat and let sit
- Preparing the Chowder: In the cleaned large soup pot, cook bacon pieces until just crispy browned and grease is rendered, reduce temperature to very low heat, melt butter in the bacon grease then tumble in the carrots, celery, red onion, and garlic, cook for five minutes until onion becomes translucent, stir in the potatoes, sprinkle in the salt, stir, cook vegetables another few minutes then strain in all of the shrimp stock which should just cover the potatoes and vegetables, if needed, make up the difference by ladling in corn broth, increase heat to medium high and cook until potatoes are just tender, reduce heat to medium low
- Add in the shrimp and corn kernels, cook for three minutes, pour in the half and half, stir and simmer until steaming hot and slightly thickened
- If you prefer the soup thinner, ladle in a little more corn broth simmer another few minutes
- Sprinkle in smoked paprika, stir
- Taste soup and check seasoning, adjusting to taste
- Grind pepper into soup pot, stir
- Ladle hot into bowls
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