A recipe for when you want to do a little more with your corn than just eat it off the cob. Adapted from a recipe by chef Will Gault of Vince’s restaurant in Leland,Mississippi.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter 4 slices bacon, diced 2 medium yellow onions, diced 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced 2 tablespoons minced garlic 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced 3 cups sweet corn kernels (roast ears in husks in a 350-degree oven 30 minutes or until soft, then cut kernels from cobs) 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 cups chicken stock 3 cups shrimp stock (made by simmering shells in water at least 10-15 minutes to extract flavor) or clam juice Kosher salt and black pepper to taste 1 1/2 to 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and cut in pieces, if large 3 tablespoons Asian chili paste or Srichicha sauce 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoons olive oil Micro greens, or extra sprigs of cilantro and thyme for garnish
Preparation:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter; add the bacon and fry until crisp and all the fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the pan and save for garnish. Add onion, jalapenos, garlic, potatoes, red bell peppers, and corn to the pan and sauté until the onions and bell peppers are softened. Add the thyme and cilantro, and season to taste. Add milk, heavy cream, shrimp stock, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are softened.
With slotted spoon, transfer half of the softened vegetables to a food processor. Puree and add back to the saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes longer or until the chowder starts to thicken. While chowder is simmering, marinate shrimp in chili paste and lime juice for 15-30 minutes. In a separate sauté pan, heat olive oil just under smoking point. Add shrimp to pan and sauté over medium high heat 2 minutes, or until firm.
To serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with some of the shrimp, reserved bacon, and micro greens or herb sprigs.