I miss summer crab feasts.  Buying a few crab legs at an exorbitant amount at the grocery store this time of year - just to get a little crab meat for my “fix,” - is not my idea of a feast. My wallet agrees. So to comfort my soul, I settled for small tub of crabmeat (back fin, the less expensive one, is fine) and dressed it up for this quick fix of corn and crab chowder.

CORN AND CRAB CHOWDA

Prep time: 10 min.

Cook time: 20 min.

Serves: 4 (or one very hungry husband)

Heat large pot over moderate heat. Add tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add:

 

(2) Chopped all-purpose uncooked potatoes, (2) stalks chopped celery, (1) medium chopped onion, (1) seeded/diced red bell pepper and (1) bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper and Bay Seasoning (to taste). Sauté all for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle (3) tablespoons flour over vegetables. Stir in (2) cups chicken stock. Stir in (4) cups of milk and bring soup to a bubble.

Add (3) cups corn (fresh or frozen). Add (8) ounces crab meat.

Remove bay leaf and serve in hollowed out bread bowls. Topping ideas: Oyster crackers; hot cayenne pepper sauce; sliced scallions.

I’ve also been known to cheat, and use a nice box of corn stock (Wegmans carries it in the organic section) for the broth to save time.

Now that’s a feast….

 

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Catherine DeCenzo is a freelance writer living in the Broadlands. She prefers the glass-half-full, humorous side of life and has an appetite for the irreverent in her personal blog at catclause.wordpress.com.