Spicy Poblano & Indiana Corn Chowder with shrimp

Spicy Poblano and Indiana Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Serves: 8-10 servings

Time: Approximately 1 ½ hours + 2 hours for stock

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons butter

1 large red onion, finely diced

4 large celery stalks, finely diced

5 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium poblano peppers, finely diced

1 bay leaf

¼ cup chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup chopped fresh oregano

2 cups fresh corn kernels, cobs saved for veggie stock

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2  cup dry, white wine

¼ cup cornstarch

4 cups veggie/shrimp stock (see ingredients in recipe below)

1½ cups heavy cream

1. Thaw, if needed, your shrimp. Peel and devein, setting the shells to the side.

2. Refrigerate peeled shrimp until needed.

3. Place shrimp shells along with vegetable scraps into a large stockpot. Fill with 4 quarts of water. If you don’t have vegetable scraps that you’ve saved for stock, roughly chop up one whole onion, 1 cup of celery with leaves, 4 cloves of garlic and three large carrots. 

4. Cook on medium high until boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours. You want to make this prior to making your chowder.

5. Let cool, strain and set aside. For extra stock, store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week, and up to 3 months in freezer. *To save time, you can skip this seafood veggie stock step and use store-bought or water. Your flavor will be much richer with stock, however.

6. To make your chowder, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. 

7. Sauté your garlic, onion, celery, half the chopped herbs and half the diced poblanos in the butter until onions and garlic are translucent.

8. Add wine and turn up heat to medium.

9. Once this is simmering, sift in cornstarch while whisking.

10. Before the mixture becomes too thick, slowly pour in heavy cream, continually whisking.

11. Begin to add stock, still whisking. Keep whisking until all liquid has been added to keep chowder from clumping.

12. Add your bay leaf, fresh corn and shrimp and turn heat down to low, simmering for at least 30 minutes.

13.Add in the rest of your herbs and peppers and the cherry tomatoes. Let simmer for another 10 minutes then remove from heat.

14. Let chowder rest for 15 minutes before serving.

15. Serve hot and garnish with fresh julienned poblano peppers, diced cherry tomatoes and fresh-cut herbs. You can sprinkle with shredded cheese or crumbled bacon, too, if you like.

Contact Twinkle VanWinkle at twinklevw@gmail.com.

From the Indy Startup:  //www.indystar.com/story/life/food/2016/08/04/twinkle-vanwinkle/87954708/