Summer Corn and Smoked Mussel Chowder
We love the pairing of fresh corn and smoked mussels in this corn and mussel chowder filled with summer tomatoes, zucchini, and chilies.
By Yankee Magazine|Jul 16 2018|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanCorn and bacon are a familiar duo, but you can find similar harmony pairing corn and smoked mussels in a summer corn and mussel chowder filled with summer vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, and chilies. Smoked shellfish are a specialty of Maine, so look for brands that hail from that state, including Ducktrap River and Grindstone Neck.
Yield:
6 servingsIngredients
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium or 2 small firm zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes
8 ounces smoked mussels in oil, drained
Kernels from 4 medium ears of sweet corn
2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
In a 5- to 7-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until pale gold in color, about 8 minutes. Add zucchini and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for 4 more minutes.
With wine and broth handy, stir the flour into the vegetables for about a minute, then add the wine and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the broth, then stir in the tomatoes with their juices and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in mussels and corn, and cook 5 minutes. Then add spinach, thyme, and salt and pepper; simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme.
We enjoyed this recipe! It’s “taste of summer” was so refreshing that we went for second helpings. I did change it only a bit (having severe diary allergies)…I used olive oil instead of butter for sautéing the onion, using 2 tbsp of olive oil rather than 3 tbsp butter. And as it happens, I had a lovely leek on hand to use in place of onion. YUM. For seasoning, I upped the fresh thyme to 1 tablespoon and I added the zucchini to the last 5 minutes of cooking time (to avoid overly soggy squash husband dislikes). Right before serving, I stirred in the chopped spinach which wilted nicely and was bright green for serving up.