Recipe: Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Corn Chowder

A quick recipe for you! It's been gorgeous and sunny here in Cali, but the weather is supposed to be nasty and rainy this week, so this chowder should keep you warm and toasty wherever you are.

Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Corn Chowder
adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1t Old Bay seasoning
• 1/4t Cayenne pepper
• 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
• 2 cups milk (whole, 1%, soy, or whatever strikes your fancy)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 pound sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I leave the skin on, but peel them if you'd prefer)
• 1/2 pound raw, peeled, and deveined medium shrimp
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method
1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the bacon. Remove bacon from heat and set aside.
2. Into the bacon fat, add the leeks, fennel, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, Old Bay seasoning, and Cayenne pepper and cook for another minute.
4. Add the clam juice, milk, and potatoes and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender

At this point, I like to use my immersion blender for just a few seconds to blend up just a little of the soup to make it creamier. You could also remove about 1/2c of soup and put it through a regular blender to get the same effect.

6. Stir in the shrimp and corn and cook until the shrimp are cooked through and pink, about 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice.
8. Roughly chop the bacon and serve chowder with bacon sprinkled on top.

xoxo,
Meg