Crab Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 4 large brown mushrooms
• 1 piece of celery
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 pound of small yellow rose potatoes
• 2 handfuls of baby carrots
• 2 small packages of chunk crab (real or imitation) or 1 large package
• 1 small package of frozen corn
• 1 package of powdered milk (or 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 Boullion cubes (3 chicken, 1 beef) or 1 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp flour or 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 cup dry grated parmasean cheese
• 1/4 tsp. Thyme
• 1/4 tsp. Mustard Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Poultry seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. dry crumbled Bay leaves
• 1 tsp. Parsley (reduce to 1/2 tsp if using fresh)
• Salt and pepper to taste (I like around 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper)
• A pinch of Mace

Directions

1.) Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and cut into slices

2.) Mince the celery, garlic, and onion

3.) Cube the potatoes, leaving the skin on

4.) In a small bowl, mix the powdered milk and flour/cornstarch with just enough water to form a smooth paste. Add an additional cup and a half of water (or the stock if using instead of bouillon) to this and stir with a fork until lumps are gone.

5.) Drizzle the olive oil in a large pan and place over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, garlic and celery. Fry a few minutes until the onions turn translucent.

6.) Add the mushrooms, potatoes, corn and butter. Stir constantly until the butter is melted and coats the veggies. Add the carrots once the butter is melted and stir until coated with the butter.

7.) Pour powdered milk mix all at once into the veggie mixture in the pan. Stir to submerge veggies. (If the liquid doesn't cover the veggies, feel free to add some additional water.)

8.) Add in the bouillon cubes at this point if you are using them.

9.) Turn up the heat to high. At this point, add the crab chunks, Parmesan cheese, and all the spices. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat until the chowder just barely simmers. Give it one final stir.

Let the chowder simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then ladle into bowls and serve immediately. If you wanted to serve this in a fancy way, you could hollow out miniature loaves of a hard bread like sourdough, and serve the chowder in those.

-- JMagGuthrie - 08 Dec 2011