{a yummy chowder}

so awhile back i promised you all that, 

because i love to cook and am always trying new recipes,

i would share with you one new recipe a week.

i have definitely failed on that count. whoops.

i haven't really done a whole lot of cooking the past month because things have been so busy,

but now that my schedule is calming down, i foresee spending more quality time

with my cooking utensils.

tonight i kicked my cooking revival off with a fabulous chowder.

i've made it a couple of times now and my husband and i just love it.

it's a little twist on the traditional chowder 

and it is bursting with flavor.

{roasted corn chowder with lime cured shrimp}

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)  :

•  1 lime
• 1/2 pound baby shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears) or thawed frozen corn kernels (do not use canned corn)
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chopped raw bacon
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 pound red bliss potatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (about half a lime)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• oyster crackers

step 1 : squeeze lime juice over shrimp placed in a bowl. add lime skin to bowl, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. (i only had cooked shrimp but i'd definitely recommend using raw shrimp).

step 2 : preheat oven to 375 degrees F. on a baking sheet, coat corn kernels with oil and   roast for 5 to 10 minutes.

steps 3-6 :  heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan over low heat, and cook bacon until crisp. add onions and cook for 5 minutes without browning. add red bell pepper, garlic and roasted corn and cook for another 5 minutes. stir in flour to thicken and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, keeping heat low.

step 7 : add cream, chicken stock and potatoes and let cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

final steps : 

remove shrimp from marinade and discard liquid. when potatoes are soft, stir in shrimp, lime juice, freshly chopped parsley, and cayenne pepper and cook until shrimp are pink and just cooked through. spoon into soup bowls and top with scallions. Serve with oyster crackers. 

 and there you have it.

the only reason the bowl is barely filled is because it was my second helping :)

hope you enjoy!