My mom has an extensive array of spices, sauces, chutneys, jams, nuts and just about anything a cook could desire. Funny, because she doesn’t usually cook, unless it’s out of necessity. Whenever I come home, even if it’s just for a day, I end up cooking at least dinner if not breakfast and lunch too. I don’t complain about having to cook, it’s an opportunity for me to create new recipes just by digging through the cupboards and fridge to find food things that work well together. Which, is exactly how my mom and I created the recipe for White Corn and Crab Chowder. She had a can of crab claw meat (not colored Pollock like you get in the plastic bags at the store, which we call ‘Krab’ meat) and a bag of white corn she wanted to use. We debated a bit, mostly me thinking out loud while my mom stood there saying “ooh, that sounds yummy” or “I don’t care what you make, just make it good.” We’ve made this chowder several times now and it just keeps getting better.

If you don’t have white corn, or can’t find it in the grocery store you can substitute yellow sweet corn it will taste just fine. I do suggest roasting the corn for a few minutes, to bring out the corns’ flavor. If using canned corn be sure to drain out all the liquid before roasting. To save time you could roast the poblano peppers at the same time. Poblano peppers aren’t a very spicy pepper but when roasted they have a nice smokey taste and it softens them greatly. I like their flavor better than bell peppers for this type of soup. I have added potatoes to this recipe, which we didn’t include originally. It is getting close to winter though, and potatoes are a good way to thicken the soup for a hearty meal. This soup transitions well for the summertime by taking the potatoes out and serving it with a light salad instead. Whichever way you choose to prepare it the end result should still be fantastic. Most of the nutrients in potatoes are in their skin, so I like to leave them, they also give texture. Choose a potato with a thin skin, either fingerlings or “new potatoes” which were picked young enough that there wasn't time to create a thick skin. A thick skinned potato will be too much for the delicate flavors of this soup.

Some grocery stores have started carrying canned crab meat for about $8.99 for a 1 pound can; you can find it in the seafood section. Last April, Cooks Illustrated magazine did a review of several kinds of canned crab meat and determined that lump claw meat still had much of the sweet salty flavor that fresh meat has. The upside of canned crab is that it is considerably less expensive than fresh claws, much less work to do, and lasts in the refrigerator for several months. It’s true that fresh picked meat has more flavor, but for a soup recipe that isn’t as important because we have several other flavors going on.

Try picking up any kind of unsliced bread, warming it in the oven for a few minutes (sprinkle a little water on the crust to freshen and crisp it up) and serve a chunk of it alongside a bowl of your chowder. If you want to add a colorful garnish to each bowl I suggest finely dicing a roma tomato (without the seeds), some green onion and a tablespoon of cheddar cheese. These fresh flavors will melt right into the soup for a little extra kick.

Crab and Corn Chowder

Serves 10

1- 1 lb. can of crab claw meat

1- 15 oz. can of white corn kernels

2 white onions, diced

2 large poblano peppers; roasted, seeds removed and diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

3 tblsp. garlic minced

5 tblsp. olive oil

1 stick of butter (1/4 lb.)

4 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream or half and half

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 dried bay leaves

2 cups of diced new or fingerling potatoe, skin on

1 tblsp. kosher salt

1 tblsp. black pepper

Roasting Corn and Peppers

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small bowl toss the corn kernels in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, transfer to foil on ½ of a large baking sheet.

3. Coat the peppers with oil using a pastry brush, making sure to get in all the creases. Put peppers on foil on the other half of the baking sheet.

4. Put baking sheet of top shelf of oven, turn the corn and peppers every few minutes as the peppers start to blacken. When the corn looks golden brown, not blackened remove and set aside. The peppers may need more time to roast. When all sides of the peppers are evenly blackened pull the sheet from the oven. Put the peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, or in a plastic zip bag. The steam will soften the peppers and make it easier to pull apart.

5. When the peppers have cooled, about 20 minutes, you can begin to deseed them. Start by pulling the stem out, slice the side open, lay flat and run the back of your knife across to remove the seeds. Dice into small pieces and set aside.

For the Soup

1. In a large stock pot combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the onion, celery,  and garlic and sauté over medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside for later.

2. Add 1 stick of butter, let melt and stir in flour slowly. You want to avoid lumps, cook the butter and flour until smooth; it may take 2-3 minutes. Let paste brown until it is just begining to turn a carmel color, over medium low heat about another 5-6 minutes.

3. Stir in the milk and cream or half and half, and then add the potatoes and bay leaves. Raise heat to a simmer, let cook uncovered for about 18 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.

4. Stir in corn, peppers, crab, salt and black pepper. Add the cooked onion, celery and garlic back to the soup. Serve hot with warm bread and a small salad.