The 2019 edition of Day at the Docks has been cancelled along with Taste of NC due to Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts underway in Hatteras village. At Day at the Docks, the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation sponsors a chowder cook-off with restaurants and individuals vying for votes. In honor of Day at the Docks, here are three chowder recipes.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

By Mona Walters and Coral Dickens

Cooking for a Cause, Vol. 3

Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation

Ingredients

4 ounces bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

Salt and pepper

½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cup dry white wine

2½ cups water

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 cup corn

¾ pound medium peeled shrimp

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup parsley chopped

What to Do

Cook the bacon in large sauce pan over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, break into pieces when cool. Wipe out sauce pan and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt and 1/3 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, celery, wine and 2½ cups water and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the corn, shrimp and cream and simmer until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with bacon and parsley.

Options: add chopped clams when you add the shrimp.

 

Basic Corn Chowder

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes

Ingredients

4 to 6 ears of corn

1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 cup whole or low-fat milk

½ cup chopped parsley (optional)

What to Do

Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.

Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.

Options:

Curried corn chowder: In Step 2, use oil, and add 1 tablespoon each curry powder and peeled and minced ginger to the onions. In Step 3, use sour cream in place of milk; garnish with cilantro in place of parsley.

For richer chowder, start with bacon and use cream instead of milk.

 

Crab and Corn Chowder

GotToBeNC.com/inspirations

Ingredients

8 ounces bacon, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

3 cups yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken stock

3 cups white potatoes, unpeeled and medium diced

5 cups corn, fresh (blanch for 3 minutes in salted boiling water) or frozen

1 cup half and half

¼ pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

4 ounces lump crab meat

What to Do

Cook the bacon in a large stock pot or in the microwave, reserve the drippings. Remove the bacon from the pot and add the olive oil to the bacon drippings. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn, crab, half and half and cheese. Cook for 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with bacon.

READ ABOUT OUTER BANKS COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

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