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Summer Corn & Crab Chowder

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Its the peak of summer and the fresh sweet corn is just amazing here in Oregon this year.  Creamy corn & crab chowder is perfect for the summer dinner table.   Yellow or Bi-color I have Fresh from Oregon corn on my summer table at least twice a week.  This week I am using the fresh corn to make a Summer Corn & Crab Chowder.  We are lucky here in Oregon to have fresh Dungeness Crab from the Pacific coast daily.  You can find fresh crab at the local farmers market, fish store or at your local supermarket’s fresh fish department.  This recipe is quick and easy to make and don’t forget to pick up some fresh potatoes too.

Summer Corn & Crab Chowderfresh crab ready to make summer corn & crab chowder
4-6 new potatoes, chopped {about 2 cups}
½ cup butter
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1/3 cup flour
2+ cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
2 teaspoons crab seasoning {such as Old Bay}
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1~2 bay leaves
2 cups fresh sweet corn
16 oz crab meat
Fresh parsley, garnish

Parboil potatoes*; immediately submerge in cold water to stop cooking.  Set aside or in the fridge until ready to add to chowder.

Melt butter in dutch oven on stove top; add chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent.  Stir in 1/3 cup flour; slowly add 2 cups chicken broth, whisking. Slowly stir in 2 cups half and half; season with salt, pepper, crab seasoning, cayenne, thyme, and a bay leaf.  Add parboiled potatoes, fresh corn and crab meat; simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30-45 minutes. Add more chicken broth to thin if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sprinkle on some paprika.

Recipe adapted from: Alice and the Mock Turtle

Ears of yellow and white corn ready to prepare summer Corn & Crab Chowder

 

Fresh from the Oregon Coast ~ Cioppino for Two!

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2016.02.07@20.11.06._K3_5726Dungeness crab is still Fresh from Oregon with some other great seafood like Ling cod, Rockfish and Petrale Sole.  The peak season to find Dungeness crab in Oregon is December through April and fresh ‘whole-cooked’ crab are readily available on the coast, farmers markets and supermarkets.  If buying at the farmers market expect to get the whole cooked crab that will still need to be cleaned. Fresh Seafood If you want to skip cleaning out the insides you can buy and ask your local seafood store or supermarket to clean them before you take them home.  I bought mine at the farmers market and yes I had to learn how to clean a crab.  With some help I found on the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission website they had a great video that helped me through all the steps and it was not so bad cleaning it myself.  My husband’s favorite seafood dish is cioppino and he has had many bowls from all over the pacific northwest.  This was a dish I wanted to make at home for him so with my one whole Dungeness crab and fresh Ling cod from the farmers market I started collecting my seafood.  With a stop at the local supermarket I added fresh scallops, shrimp and Manila clams to my first homemade Cioppino.

So what is Cioppino and where did it get started?  Originating in San Francisco it is a tomato base fish stew and is considered an Italian-American dish.  It has been said that as the fisherman came in for the day from fishing they would “CHIP IN” to a pot of cooked tomatoes, wine and spices thus creating the name Ciopinno (chip-EEN-o).  Since the catch of the day could be anything the stew could be different each day.  So as you are making the Cioppino add the seafood you like and each time you make it try a different combination.  The recipe below is for two and uses just over 2 pounds of seafood.  I choose to use Dungeness crab, Ling cod, shrimp, scallops, and Manila clams.  Some other seafood you could use would be little neck clams, mussels and squid.  I wanted to add my own twist to my Ciopinno so I served it over my creamy Parmesan risotto.  This made the broth rich and creamy and a full meal for me and my husband.  Enjoy my version below and enjoy some fresh seafood from where ever you live!

Cioppino with Creamy Parmesan RisottoCioppino Ingredients2016.02.07@19.27.08._K3_5684CioppinoCioppino
Tomato base:
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
12 oz fresh tomatoes, diced or 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 to 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes, depending how spicy you want it
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Salt to taste

Seafood:
8 oz Ling cod or other firm white fish, cut into cubes
4 oz scallops, rinsed
8 oz shelled and deveined tiger prawn or shrimp, rinsed
4 oz Manila clams or little neck clams, rinsed
12 oz Dungeness crab meat

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion until they become aromatic, but not browned. Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chili flakes and continue to stir for about 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and water and simmer on low heat. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

Turn the heat up to high and add in the all the seafood and the parsley and gently stir together. As soon as the clams and mussels are open, the stew is ready, this will take any where from 5 to 8 minutes.  Add salt to taste and serve immediately.  In a large bowl place a cup of the hot Creamy Parmesan Risotto* and spoon broth and seafood over the risotto.  Serve with toasted crusty bread.  This makes two hearty portions with the risotto added so you can make this dish to serve 4 people just as easy.

* Creamy Parmesan Risotto
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
3 cups water
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice, dry
1/3 cup dry white wine, room temperature (if you do not want ton use wine sub chicken broth)
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring chicken broth and water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to simmer.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions, and saute until tender about 3- minutes.  Add dry rice and saute for 2 minutes.  Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed.  Add 1 cup of the hot broth mixture and cook stirring often until liquid is absorbed. Add another cup of broth and repeat procedure, adding remaining broth 1 cup at a time.  Cooking time is about 25-30 minutes.  Once the last broth has been added and liquid absorbed add the butter, whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, serve immediately.  If you want to save time cook the day before or just before starting the Cioppino.  Reheat before serving with the Cioppino.

Fresh Dungeness CrabFresh Ling Cod2016.02.07@19.40.28._K3_57002016.02.07@19.40.44._K3_57032016.02.07@19.40.38._K3_5702

Oregon Dungeness Crab Alfredo

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2013.02.16@19.05.25Slightly sweet and tender flesh are the only words to describe the taste of Oregon Dungeness Crab.   The annual harvest of the Oregon Dungeness Crab begins on December 1st and ends on August 14th.  The peak of the season is December through April and they can be found in large piles in your local seafood store.  Now is the best time to get the lowest prices on Oregon Dungeness Crabs when the harvest is in full swing during the winter months.

Only the mature male crabs that measure at least 6 ¼ inches across the back of the shell are allowed to be harvested.  All under sized male and females must be returned to the ocean where they continue the mating cycle for future harvesting.

I got about 1/2 pound of crab meat out of one crab.  If you were serving just the crab meat you should plan on about 2 crabs per person, but if combining with other items like this Fresh From Oregon Crab Alfredo one crab will do the job.

With the Oregon Dungeness Crabs in peak season now I will be preparing more dishes to share with you.

Oregon Dungeness Crab Alfredo2013.02.16@18.28.082013.02.16@18.49.222013.02.16@18.50.54

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound Oregon Dungeness Crab meat
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 cups cooked hot linguine noodles (1/2 pound uncooked dry)
2 tablespoon fresh parsley

In large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter.  Add green onions and garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add the crab meat and saute 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring constantly.  Gradually add both of the cheeses and cook until melted, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the hot linguine noodles.  Add the fresh parsley and its ready to serve.

Experience fresh food from Oregon!

Recipe Master: Carrie Trax Editor: John Trax
Photographer: John Trax

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