Shrimp & Corn Chowder with Fennel

Global Warming say what?! I can't believe that there is still snow coming from the sky. And it's a whiteout outside right now. Pure white craziness.


When you're stuck inside because of freezing weather and snow soup (and LOST) is the perfect accoutrement to a day like today (and yesterday, and the day before, and still the day before that)


Yesterday I made Shrimp & Corn Chowder with Fennel from this month's Real Simple. This was really good recipe after I added spices. If you stick to this recipe in its true form it's kind of bland. My add-ins in bold.

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 30mTotal Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 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 (Cook the shrimp in the same pan as the bacon and season with kosher salt and garlic)- Buy raw not cooked. Also when cooking them under cook slightly so when you put in pot it finishes cooking with all the flavoring.
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Kosher Salt
• 6 slices of cooked bacon 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• bread, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the butter (use bacon oil) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes; stir in the flour.
2. 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. Crumble bacon and add in at the end. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve with the bread, if using.

Next time I make this I think I will play around a little more with the seasoning. This also was the first time I've had shrimp choweder and if I compare it to clam chowder I think I like the clams more. But perhaps (like some of the comments we're saying at Real Simple) the shrimp might have been to tough.

But it's a great basis for a chowder.