Shrimp and Corn Chowder
This is a thick and creamy chowder without all the added fat that chowders are usually prepared with. Using a combination of chicken broth and low-fat milk lowers calories, and blending part of the soup helps thicken it.
Great flavor is achieved by sautéing lots of celery and onion in a small amount of butter till softened, then adding the flour and cooking to incorporate it. Add the corn, diced potato, chicken broth and seasonings and cook until potatoes are tender. Then about 1/3 of this mixture is blended in a blender and returned to the soup kettle along with the milk and shrimp.
To make this a gluten-free meal, omit the flour. The soup may be a tiny bit less thick, but still deliciously seasoned and filling. This makes four generous servings with calorie count only 394/serving, and fat at 8g.
We love this soup, and summertime is the perfect time to make it with summer corn at it’s sweetest. However I made it recently because I ended up with an opened package of frozen corn to use up. Mr. D. suggested I make corn chowder, so that’s the back story of why I made it now. Although frozen corn is not ideal, it still gave thickness and corn flavor that was satisfying.
At serving time I added some chopped green onion, (green parts only) and chopped celery leaves for garnish. A salty cheese would also be good sprinkled on top such as queso fresco, cojita or feta. This will add calories and fat so be mindful of that if you are counting calories.
SHRIMP AND CORN CHOWDER
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 3 medium or 4 small potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups low-fat milk
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 bunch scallions, green parts only, chopped
- celery leaves, chopped
Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in the celery and onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften.
2. Stir in the corn and potatoes, then stir in the flour until incorporated. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, thyme and bay leaves, plus 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until potatoes test done.
3. Remove bay leaves; transfer about 1/3 of this mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the pot.
Return to a simmer, add the milk, and shrimp. Reduce heat to low, and cook until shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes. Season with additional salt if needed. Soup may be thinned with additional chicken broth if it’s too thick.
4. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped scallions and celery leaves.
Shrimp and Corn Chowder
SOURCE: a major adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light
Delicious on a Dollar 