...Shrimp and Corn Chowder

It's Fall and you know what that means... soup, chowder, and chili... oh my!  Fall is absolutely my favorite season and I'm pretty sure part of that has to do with the comfort food.  So warm and cozy, how could you not love it?

This chowder was really easy to make and had great flavor with all the veggies and, ahem, bacon drippings (see below).

Serve it up with hot crusty roasted garlic bread and Fall will quickly become your favorite season, too.

Especially if you follow it up with Apple Crisp for dessert... thanks Mom!

Shrimp and Corn Chowder with Fennel

serves 4 (in reality, more like 6)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped

kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 8-ounce bottle clam juice

3 cups whole milk

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 pound cooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp

1 10-ounce package frozen corn

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the leeks and fennel, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes, stir in the flour.

Add the clam juice, milk, and potatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.  Stir in the shrimp and corn and cook until the potatoes are tender and the shrimp and corn are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and lemon juice.  

Tip: Top it with crumbled bacon.  Cook 6 slices in a large saucepan until crisp.  Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and use the pan drippings instead of the butter to cook the leeks and fennel.

Taylor's Notes:

This is the first time I've ever cooked with leeks or fennel.  Leeks... easy!  Fennel... what the heck do I do with this thing?!  I treated it like an onion and just chopped it up.  Not sure if that's exactly right, but it worked, and look at me trying something new!

I took the tip of sauteing the veggies in the bacon drippings and, although I haven't had the recipe the other way, I'd definitely recommend the bacon.  Everything is better with bacon, amiright?

It was a really easy and tasty recipe and perfect for a cool, fall evening.  

Enjoy!