Shrimp and Crab Corn Chowder

By LLRedd

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light (August 2011)

Ingredients

• 6 slices center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped (about 4-5 celery stalks)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2-3 cups fat free, low sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
• 8 oz crab meat
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a large dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté for 4 minutes or until the bacon is just browning. Then remove a handful of the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the onion, celery, thyme, garlic to the pan and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add corn and cook for 2 more minutes stirring as needed. Then add the broth. Bring to a boil and cook for another 4 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the corn mixture in a blender. (Be careful blending while hot!) Secure lid on blender and blend until smooth. Return the pureed corn mixture to dutch oven. Stir in the shrimp and crab meat and cook for about 2 minutes until the shrimp are done. Stir in the half and half, pepper, and salt. Crumble the reserved bacon over soup and serve.