Soup Recipes

• 1 tablespoon(s) margarine or butter
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk(s) celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 package(s) (10 ounces each) frozen whole-kernel corn
• 2 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
• 2 teaspoon(s) sugar
• .5 teaspoon(s) salt
• .5 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
• .125 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper, (cayenne) add more as needed
• 1.75 pound(s) medium shrimp
• .5 cup(s) half-and-half or light cream
• Chopped fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions

1. In 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepot, melt margarine or butter with olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add carrots, onion, and celery, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring often.
2. Reserve 1 1/2 cups corn. Add remaining corn to Dutch oven; stir in chicken broth, sugar, salt, thyme, ground red pepper, and 2 cups water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, shell and devein 20 shrimp, leaving tail part of shell on, for garnish. Shell and devein remaining shrimp, then slice each horizontally in half; set aside.
4. Cook shrimp for garnish: In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches water to boiling over high heat. Add the 20 shrimp; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute or until shrimp turn opaque throughout. Drain; keep warm.
5. In blender at low speed, with center part of cover removed to allow steam to escape, blend soup in small batches until very smooth. Pour soup into large bowl after each batch.
6. Return blended soup and reserved corn to same Dutch oven; stir in half-and-half. Heat soup over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. (Do not boil.) Add sliced shrimp and cook 5 minutes longer or until shrimp turn opaque throughout.
7. To serve, spoon chowder into 10 bowls; garnish each with 2 whole shrimp. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.