Tuesday, February 24, 2009

"Everything is better with bacon"

The son of the food critic is fond of saying "everything is better with bacon". I was googling for a pasta dish using bacon and crab when I tripped across this recipe on the Dallas/Fort Worth Local News site. All I can say is WOW! If you are a bacon lover, you are definitely gonna like this chowder. We had ours with Ciabatta bread.

Crab and Bacon Chowder

INGREDIENTS
4 ozs. Bacon, diced
½ cup Onion, diced
1 Tbl Garlic, minced
2 Tbl Flour

1 pint Chicken Stock
½ cup White Wine, dry
1 cup New Potatoes, medium diced

1 cup Corn kernel, fresh or frozen
1 Tbl Basil, fresh, shredded
1 cup Crabmeat, claw or lump
¼ cup Milk, hot
¼ cup Heavy Cream
Salt & White Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté bacon on low heat until crispy and fully rendered.
Add onion and cook until translucent.
Add garlic and flour, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add wine, stock, and potatoes. Cook just until potatoes are done.
Add corn, basil, crabmeat, milk, and heavy cream.
Bring to a slow simmer, season and serve immediately.
Garnish soup with additional shredded basil and French bread slices.

Recipe from Chef Bryant Currie of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute

Note my substitutions: I diced up pepper bacon from my local grocer, gave the chowder a nice 'bite'. The corn is local from the Coit Road Market that I put up last summer. Not having fresh basil, I used one teaspoon of dried. I also used whole milk instead of cream.

23 comments:

Elenka said...

I JUST finished eating your Marsala pasta mushroom dish. Wow. It was great. I used 1/2 reg. mushrooms and didn't have the shaved Parmesan, which I would have preferred, so I used grated, but it was delicious!! I'm still licking my lips. Thanks!

NellJean said...

Too wonderful. Every now and then, (rarely) we just cook a pound of bacon and eat it. I can feel my arteries clog as we munch.

This sure looks tasty.
Nell

Proud Italian Cook said...

Rich and decadent! Boy does that look good!

Grace said...

i'm always amazed at the power of bacon. :)
it's a gorgeous soup, ma'am--i'm loving the specks of basil throughout.

OhioMom said...

Thanks Elenka, I am glad you enjoyed it :)

LOL Nell, every once in a blue moon I crave the "forbidden foods", and succumb to temptation.

Marie .. it is rich, and tasty :)

Thanks Grace :)

Ty'sMommy said...

This looks just fabulous! I'm definitely going to have to put it on my "must try" list....you know, for after I'm done with my diet. :)

Judy said...

Oh, my. This does look gooooood. It's like potato soup with crab.

Theresa said...

The son of the Critic is right!!! And the soup looks goood!!

OhioMom said...

Ty's mommy .. this is definitely not a diet dish LOL

Judy .. thanks, I have your crab recipes bookmarked to try :)

Theresa .. he loves bacon!

Peter M said...

This chowda is outstanding...love the colour with the bacon as jewels.

Lucy said...

OMG!!! This looks so good!! Hope there's some left for me ;-)

******* said...

Yes, this is wonderful! Love it :)

Balisha said...

Oh, my! I can almost smell the bacon frying. Isn't that one of the best smells?

shambo said...

I agree completely. Everything really is better with bacon. The soup looks absolutely wonderful. I've got about a cup of crab in the freezer along with some frozen corn and a couple of packages of low sodium bacon. I might just follow your recipe.

OhioMom said...

Thanks Peter :)

Lucy .. anytime my dear :)

Thanks Maryann :)

Balisha .. my son loves bacon, this chowder was for him .. but he did share with us :)

Sue .. I prefer the low sodium bacon, but then I am not a "heavy on the salt" person :)

Lori Lynn said...

Now THAT is a chowder!
Bacon, oh yes! I agree.
LL

Kevin said...

That crab chowder looks really good. Bacon does make everything better.

perennialgardener said...

Your grandsons would have to agree with their Uncle about the bacon. ;)

OhioMom said...

LOL Lori and Kevin, that is exactly my son's feeling.

Racquel .. your brother could probably eat bacon every day :)

Sophie said...

My husband would fall in love with this, he is a big bacon lover. Beautiful, he'd say and I have to agree :)!

Claudia said...

Yes, bacon improves everything and you don't need a lot! When I needed to get the kids up early, I would fry some bacon and they would follow their nose downstairs.

Paula said...

Oh my gosh, my hubby would absolutely love this ... provided I didn't eat all of it before serving! I was surprised to see basil in here, and I bet it brought a lot to this chowder! YUM!

OhioMom said...

Sophie

My guys are bacon lover too :)

LOL Claudia, a sure waker upper!

Paula .. this is a very rich chowder, if your guy loves bacon he will love this :)