Crab & Corn Chowder

Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?  I was intrigued, and just had to try it a couple of years ago.  Since, it’s become my husband’s favorite soup!  This recipe is from Rachael Ray’s “Top 30, 30-Minute Meals, Comfort Food”.  This recipe serves 4.

Here’s what you’ll need:
2 Tbsp butter
2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco or Frank’s)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
3 cups half & half
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen shredded potatoes (hash browns)
6 oz lump crabmeat, broken up
1 c frozen corn kernels
chopped chives or fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

• In a medium pot over medium-high heat, melt butter
• Add bacon, onion, bell pepper, celery, and thyme.
• Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce and cook 5 minutes.
• Stir in flour and Old Bay and cook a minute more.
• Whisk in half & half, then add broth.
• Bring soup to a bubble, then stir in potatoes.
• Simmer until potatoes are cooked and soup has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes.
• Add crabmeat and corn
• Remove thyme stems from the soup (the leaves will have fallen off).
• Stir and adjust seasonings.
• Pour soup into mugs
• Garnish with chives or parsley.