Thursday, January 13, 2011

Crab Chowder




New York City had its second significant snowfall of the winter this week. After spending an hour shoveling snow off  my sidewalk my thoughts turned towards a nice hot supper. What could I cook in a hurry that would be both warm and filling? 


I remembered a recipe I recently saw on Arlene's blog Food Of Love for Chicken Corn Chowder, where she mentioned it would probably also taste good made with crab. That's it! I had a container of fresh crab meat in my refrigerator that I thought I was going to use to make crab cakes, but I knew a nice bowl of chowder would really hit the spot on a cold winter's day. I made it using my favorite way of making a creamed soup, which differed slightly from Arlene's version. Served along with a freshly baked biscuits and a salad our dinner was made in less than an hour.

Crab Chowder

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 ribs of celery chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
two tablespoons all purpose  flour
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 quart skim milk
3 cups corn kernels, scraped fresh from the cob or frozen kernels
8 ounces fresh cooked lump crab meat
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne ground pepper (can be omitted if you don't like your chowder spicy)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Directions:

Heat extra virgin olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over moderate heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, celery and red pepper and saute until they wilt down and become soft. Add Old Bay Seasoning and cayenne pepper and sprinkle flour over wilted vegetables, stirring constantly for two minutes until a paste forms. Slowly stir in broth and add potatoes and stir, cover pot and allow to slowly boil until potatoes begin to get soft when pierced with a fork. Uncover and add milk, corn and crab meat. Stir well and bring up to a simmer, not a boil, and simmer soup five - ten minutes making sure potatoes are cooked. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Top each portion with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

I'm adding this post to Michael's blog Designs by Gollum "Foodie Friday," Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe Cooking "Friday Favorites Linky Party.






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52 comments:

Lynn said...

Wow Pat, this would really hit the spot-sounds great:@)

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Pat, That recipe sounds fantastic. I know that we would love that soup ... I'd like it with most any kind of meat in it, but your crab sounds great.

Have a good Friday... We finally saw some sunshine today for awhile. yeah!!!!
Hugs,
Betsy

Unknown said...

That looks delicious! It has been bitter cold here in the south too!

Stay warm!

Donnie said...

That sounds like a real keeper. Don loves the cream based chowders.

Kris said...

Wow...that looks goooood!!

Janie said...

Wow, Pat, that looks so good...I could have used that tonight after what was a pretty frustrating day!
I'm gonna go collapse now!

Kathleen said...

Looks good, Pat! We got killed out here. Lost power for 20 hours...brrrrr

Anonymous said...

Crab Chowder, sounds and looks absolutely yummy!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

This is a friday's favorite for sure... Just the right thing on a cold day.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh yum!! It looks so good on a cold day! And so do those biscuits!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Oh....My....Goodness!!! This sounds so absolutely wonderful. I would love this! Thanks for the recipe.

Vee said...

Not only does it look beautiful, I am certain that it hit the spot after all that shoveling. Does each homeowner have to shovel the sidewalk in front of his or her home? No handy dandy little plows for sidewalks like we have here?

Perhaps this will be the last of the big storms for NYC this season. A little dusting is nice, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Claudia said...

That recipe is so on my radar now. Love crab and love what you did with it. It's silky-smooth, rich and comforting. But if you think I am crying for NYC and all that snow - think again. It's snowing (again) and I've been looking at the stuff since November 11th! Happy snow day! (tee hee?)

Sheila said...

There's nothing better than homemade soup on a snowy day! Your crab chowder looks good enough to eat. We made pea soup and barley vegetable...my version of Snowstorm Soup which is whatever you have in the fridge...Keep warm Pat!

RoeH said...

Try as my daughter does to get me to like crab, it hasn't happened yet. I like clam chowder if I'm on a wharf in San Francisco or someplace like that. I'm not a seafood person. I'm more of an "Idaho fresh trout straight out of the river" girl. Or salmon. I'll take that. I'm salivating now at the thought. Arizona people think their trout is wonderful (5..6 inches??) but they have no idea what trout is if they've never had some from Idaho.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Oh, Pat... that looks SO delicious! I could use a bowl of that tonight. We've been kind of chilly the last two nights, and that sounds so good!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

The word chowder always brings a smile to my face. Mention crab and I get giddy.

This has been a doozy of a winter so far. Hope Mother Nature calms down soon and says enough is enough.

It was 36 in southwest Florida yesterday morning. I know that sounds warm if you're in NYC, but some folks down here don't even have heat and the poor oranges and strawberries are crying help.
Sam

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Oh my that sounds good!! But tonight I think I'll make New England Clam Chowder!! You are an inspiration!! Thanks! Cathy

Tanna said...

YUM!! That sounds like just what the doctor ordered for these COLD days!! Thank you, Pat!

Anonymous said...

It looks so warming on such a cold day. Hope your area copes with the snow ok. They were a bit useless here.

diane b said...

Yummy sounds just the thing for a winter's day. Shovelling snow must keep you fit.

Snap said...

I love chowders.... I'm going to your house for soup! Thanks, Pat. Stay warm.

Tracy said...

DELICIOUS chowder, Pat...mmm... So glad you shared the recipe--thanks! That is a lot of snow you've all had.. Looks like here. ;o) Be keeping warm, cozy & safe... Happy Weekend ((HUGS))

Barbara said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Flavia Galasso said...

I adore chowder!!Thanks for recipe.

Have a nice weekend in wonderful NY...hugs, Flavia

Barbara said...

Hi Pat,
Great Minds think alike! I, too, made a corn and crab chowder on Wednesday night! I had been waiting to use the Silver Queen corn I scraped off the cob from the last of the local fram stand's harvest in late October! It was a recipe very similar to yours and quite DELICIOUS! Stay warm. It's 8 degrees here in Northwest NJ this morning!

Pam said...

Yum! It looks delicious and is perfect for this cold snowy weather!

Trotter said...

Hi Pat! I love clam chowder, but I'll try your crab...

The Nile 2010 is coming to an end! But the temple of Philae surely deserves a comment. Blogtrotter Two has it. Enjoy and have an excellent weekend!

La Petite Gallery said...

Looks so delish, and the snow is there and more is coming.
Like the recipe, will try it with haddock. Or maybe shrimp.
I now have my new sidebar up and YOU are on it..as you have been for the past 2 years. Stay warm and take it easy with the snow shovel.
yvonne

Pondside said...

That would have done the trick! Warm all the way through just thinking about it!

black eyed susans kitchen said...

This sounds like a perfect recipe for me Pat...love corn chowder, and the addition of crab makes it really special!
♥, Susan

Beverly said...

Pat, this looks and sounds delicious. I was trying to think of something easy and warm for tomorrow, and you have inspired me.

Yvette said...

This looks delicious, Pat! Perfect for a cold, snowy day. Yes, Winter has hit the east coast with a vengeance! I'm not really complaining though, because we had a pretty lovely and long Fall season. :)

Unknown said...

I love crab and this chowder looks incredible! I am so glad you stopped by my blog, www.mykindofcooking.com so I could start following your wonderful blog and get this delicious recipe!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

My mouth started watering as soon as I saw that soup. It sounds delicious and you deserved a wonderful bowl of soup after that last snow storm!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Thanks for all your comments!
I also love all kinds of chowder. Clam chowder is one of my all time favorites but this was alsovery good!

Vee -- Yes, we are all responsible to shovel our sidewalks in front of our houses. We also shovel a few elderly neighbor's fronts.

Anonymous said...

Oh YUM, Pat!! That crab chowder would hit the spot right now......do you deliver? :)

I hope you guys have dug out from that snow!! We're supposed to get a little more in a couple of days...but not the amount we just had.

Have a great weekend!! L, Dana

bj said...

OOO, I've never had crab in any form..being raised out on the plains of West Texas, I just never developed a taste for sea foods.:)

My daughter and her hubs are flying to NYC this next week and they are so excited, they are peeing down both pants legs.:)))
They THOUGHT there wasn't a lot of snow there..but heard it is supposed to snow a lot about the time they are flying home. She is a bit worried about that but I told her if she got snowed in, just go find a great show to see..and enjoy the food there. :)
I will be keeping her kids so she doesn't have to worry about that. She is hoping to do a little shopping while there. They are gonna have such fun.
xoxo bj

Conner Kressley said...

I just found this blog. I've always had a bit of a fascination with NY and this is just awesome. That chowder looks really good. I will be trying it

GailO said...

This sounds absolutely divine! I need to find some nice fresh crab...I just tried Trader Joe's Turkey meatballs tonight and I have to say that I am not fond of them...oh well ...have to try things sometimes:) Happy Weekend Pat!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

This looks so good. We love our chowda in Massachusetts.

Cass @ That Old House said...

OH lovely on a snowy night!
Fab.
Cass

Margaret said...

Oh YUM one of Your recipes Pat Thank-you, looks delicious! Perfect anytime, but especially on a snowy day! I like that you used skim milk for it. I love ALL of those ingredients, I look forward to making it!
Margaret from B.C.

Amy said...

Oh my! This looks divine! Gotta give your recipe a try real soon! :P

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Old Kitty said...

Oh wow!!! More snow!!! I hope you and your family are ok!! The weather is absolutely crazy the world over!!! It's very very windy here but very mild and yet it's all snowy and freezing across the pond!

But nothing like hot chowder to warm the cockles of one's heart!!!!!

Your chowder looks so good I could smell it!! :-) Enjoy!! Take care
x

Living In Williamsburg Virginia said...

Keep the snow and pass the chowder.

Darryl and Ruth : )

Arlene Delloro said...

This looks and sounds wonderful, Pat. DSO's been nagging me to pick up some crabmeat to try it out and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Between the hambone in the freezer and that, we'll be ready for the next big one.

Jeanne said...

Hi Pat, your snow looks like mine. I too just shoveled the deck at our cabin because my cousin is coming tomorrow for a visit. It is close to our house and he likes the privacy. I think he will be surprised at how much snow we have. He lives in MI and they have tons of snow all the time.

Your chowder looks awesome. I am allergic to crab but I know it tastes great. Especially on the cold days you are having. I love to make soup but I almost never use a recipe. I start with beef, chicken or ham and just throw tons of veggies in with a bit of pasta. By the time I am done I can feed the multitudes. HA! We love it in the winter.

Keep warm up there and thanks for your comment today. We do love where we live Pat. It is mountain beauty at it's best. Lucky us!
Jeanne

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

What a perfect winter meal, Pat...and those biscuits looks mouthwatering.

Pat said...

Great recipe! Going to give it a try if I can find some crab... well, yes, I am a bit crabby now and then, but you know....

Ola said...

Looks simple and delicius, I must try

Sue said...

I have been wanting to make a chowder for the last couple of days and this recipe is what I'll be using tomorrow! Although we haven't had the storms the east has had, it's been cold here, too- so this will be a nice, warm supper for us. It actually hit a high of 15 today. I am liking your new blog header, as well. It has a nice, contemporary look. Glad to hear you had such a nice visit in CO w/little Leo and his parents. OMGosh, he has gotten so big- he's definitely not a baby any more. Stay warm, my friend!
~ Sue