In my kitchen: Bill Clifton’s Corn and crab chowder

Ingredients:
• 12 shucked ears of sweet corn
• 1 large poblano pepper
• ½ pound slab bacon or pancetta,
small diced
• 1 medium onion, small dice
• 2 leeks, cleaned and julienned
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 celery ribs, small dice
• 2 90 count baking potatoes,
peeled and small dice
• 2 parsnips, peeled and small dice
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay
• 1 pint heavy cream
• ½ pound fresh Maryland blue crab claw meat
• 1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Corn stock:
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 12 roasted corn cobs, cut in half
• 1 gallon of water

Chive oil
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 3 bunches chives
• 1½ cups grapeseed oil
• Garnish with corn shoots

Method:
1. Wrap each corn cob in aluminum foil, place over medium heat, or flame on top of stove. Roast for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes.

2. At the same time roast a poblano over flame until charred. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from bowl, scrape charred skin, remove seeds and stem. Mince skinned pepper.

3. Remove corn from foil and shave corn kernels off the cob. Reserve 1 cup corn for fritters. Reserved cobs for stock. (See recipe below)

4. In a large pot begin cooking bacon to render fat.

5. Once fat has begun to render add onions, celery and leeks. Cook until onions are soft and translucent.

6. Add tablespoon of butter, potatoes, and parsnips. Cook until potatoes and parsnips are tender.

7. Add thyme

8. In a blender, take half of the roasted corn kernels, heavy cream, and a pint of corn stock. You may have to do this in batches.

9. Add 1 pint of corn stock to pot of vegetables and stir.

10. Add pureed corn, chopped poblano, old bay, remaining roasted corn, and crab claw meat to pot. Stir and season if necessary. Let come to a simmer.

11. In a pan warm lump crab meat in butter.

12. To plate, ladle 8 ounces of soup into bowl. Top with lump crab, chive oil, and corn shoots.

Corn stock:

In a large pot, add butter, vegetables and seasonings. Sweat for 4-5 minutes. Add water, corn cobs, and herbs. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. Strain stock.

Chive oil:

In blender, puree herbs with oil until smooth. In a small pot, heat oil over medium heat for 3-5minutes. Strain through a mesh sieve.