Summer Corn & Shrimp Chowder with Potato & Bacon

When choosing ears of corn, peel back the husks and silks and look for plump, parallel rows of kernels. Once you get home, make sure your cobs are thoroughly clear of silks. Gently use a scrub brush under running water for best results. (A juice extractor is required for this recipe for optimal flavor.)

Makes 5 quarts

• 12 ears corn on the cob (bicolor preferred)
• 2 quarts chicken stock (homemade preferred)
• ½ lb. thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
• 1bunch small celery, finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbs. AP flour
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼ “ cubes
• 1 Tbs. fresh thyme, picked and minced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 lb. uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• fresh made croutons
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Begin by rendering bacon in a cold medium sized fry pan. Bring heat to medium-low, stirring every 5 minutes. Bacon will be done when golden brown, about 30 minutes. Strain, reserving all the bacon fat. Set bacon aside for later.
2. In a 6-8 quart soup pot on medium-low heat, add bacon fat, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir every couple minutes, making sure onions are not browning too fast. You want to sweat the vegetables, reducing their size and releasing all their sugars, allowing for caramelization, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove corn kernels from cobs and split into 2 batches (6 cobs for each batch.) Add cobs to chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce to low. Add one batch of raw corn kernels to juice extractor to make corn juice. Will produce about ½ cup of corn juice. Set aside. Add corn pulp from juicer to chicken stock with cobs.
4. Sprinkle celery and onions with flour. Stir for 1 minute until flour is cooked. Add white wine. It will become very thick, keep stirring, 30 seconds more. Strain chicken stock from pulp and cobs. Add to celery, onions, flour, and wine. Stir with a whisk. Add potatoes, bacon, and 2nd batch of raw corn kernels, heavy cream, and fresh thyme. Bring up to slow simmer. Reduce to low, cover halfway with lid.
5. Meanwhile, melt butter and Old Bay Seasoning in large fry pan on medium low. Add shrimp and let cook through until pink and opaque. Set aside.
6. To make fresh croutons, pre-heat oven to 400º F. Cut your favorite fresh bread loaf into 1”cubes. Coat with olive oil on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
7. To serve, ladle chowder into soup bowl, top with cooked shrimp and fresh made croutons. Enjoy!