Serves 5
- 2 lbs – shrimp, shelled & deveined (used as 1.5 lbs & 1/2 lb)
- 1/4 lb + 1 TBSP – butter (1 stick & 1 TBSP)
- 2 TBSP – olive oil
- 1 cup – flour
- 1 1/2 cups – onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups – celery & leaves, chopped
- 3/4 cups – carrots, chopped
- 3 14.5 oz cans – chicken stock
- 5 cloves – garlic, chopped
- 2 – Seranno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 1/2 tspn – sugar
- 1/2 cup – pickled jalapenos juice (La Costa preferred)
- 3 TBSP – chopped pickled jalapenos (La Costa preferred)
- 3 cups – fresh corn
- 8 oz – Mascarpone
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Bourbon or Dry Sherry – 1 1/2 tspn per bowl when serving
- Shrimp Cajun seasoning:
- 1 1/2 tspn – Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 tspn – Cayenne
- 1 1/2 tspn – Paprika
- 1/8 tspn – chopped dried thyme
In a large non-stick pot at medium-high heat, add the stick of butter and stir. When the butter is melted, add the flour and mix together into a dry paste. Slowly stir the mixture to darken the flour to dark brown. Lower the heat as needed as the mixture browns faster until the color is about dark brown sugar – about 10-12 minutes.
Add the onions, celery and carrots, half the garlic, olive oil and stir the mixture at medium-high heat until the water is steamed off – about 10-12 minutes.
Add the 3 cans of chicken stock, remaining garlic, optional serrano, sugar and jalapenos, Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes – stirring occasionally.
While simmering, sprinkle 3/4 TBSN of the Cajun seasonings seasoning on the 1/2 lb of uncut shrimp. Sprinkle and mix the remaining seasoming over the 1 ½ lbs of cut shrimp to coat.
In a sauce pan at medium-high heat, heat the butter to simmering and then add the 1/2 lb of seasoned shrimp. Sauté and stir the shrimp until the shrimp is cooked through. Set aside
Bring the main pot to a boil and then add the corn and 1 1/2 lbs of remaining shrimp. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is cooked. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the mascarpone and stir. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve chowder in a bowl with added sautéd shrimp and 1 1/2 tspn Sherry or Bourbon on top.