comfort zone crab chowder

Fort Lauderdale, FL
Updated on Oct 8, 2012

Whether you’re at a fancy restaurant, deli or bistro it's great to start a meal with comforting bowl of chowder or soup. While you are enjoying your first course, the soup or chowder is so good that you savor every spoon full with the intention of seeking out all the flavors you can identify, so you can create this chowder at home. This restaurant inspired chowder is call "Kickin Crab Chowder" from a small bistro type deli not far from where I work. So this is my creation of this wonderful chowder.

prep time 10 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Stove Top
yield 6 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth, low fat
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 medium onion (diced)
  • 1 cup half and half (fat free)
  • 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
  • 2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
  • 1/2 - red bell pepper (dice)
  • 16 ounces fresh lump crabmeat

How To Make comfort zone crab chowder

  • Step 1
    Making the Roux Cook time about 3 – 5 minutes In a medium sauce pan, add olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted and combined with the olive oil, sprinkle in the flour. Cook over gentle / low heat, stirring constantly with wood spoon, for about 2 minutes. (Your roux should be light yellow color, do not let it get dark.) Remove from heat and gradually stir in room temperature half & half, adding a little at a time and stirring constantly until the cream is incorporated before adding more. When all the milk has been added, return to the heat and cook, stirring until thick and smooth. Then add creole seasonings, cayenne pepper, and old bay seasoning. (See special note about making Roux’s) (Set aside for next step).
  • Step 2
    let’s get down to the chowder In a 3 - 5 quart soup pot, add chicken broth, garlic and onions and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add your roux, blend all ingredients well. Now add corn and bell peppers. Season to taste with salt and pepper, let simmer for another 3 – 5 minutes.
  • Step 3
    Add the crabmeat to that chowder ! Add crabmeat and be careful not to break up the lumps. Let simmer 3 -5 minutes then serve in soup bowls and garnish with fresh chives. For extra comfort - serve chowder with French bread, crackers or parmesan cheese toast. My Comfort Zone Chowder has crowd pleasing possibilities. Enjoy
  • Step 4
    Special Note about Roux’s Roux is a cooked mixture of flour and fat, traditionally clarified butter. It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté and sauce espagnole. Butter, vegetable oils, or lard are commonly used fats. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews. It is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight.

Discover More

Category: Chowders
Keyword: #corn
Keyword: #PEPPERS
Keyword: #crabmeat
Ingredient: Fish
Culture: American
Method: Stove Top

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