Corn and Crawfish Chowder

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (6-quart minimum)
• •Wooden spoon
• •Ladle
• •Sharp knife for cutting corn from cobs

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the bacon

   Set your Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. You're not rushing this. That bacon fat is flavor you're building, and crispy bacon pieces scattered through the finished chowder are part of what makes this dish sing. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave every drop of that rendered fat in the pot.

   Thick-cut bacon renders more slowly but gives you bigger, meatier pieces in the finished soup. Worth seeking out.
2. 2

   Build the trinity foundation

   Add the butter to the bacon fat and let it melt. Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper (that's your holy trinity right there) along with the white parts of the green onions and a half teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. The kitchen should smell like Louisiana. Add the garlic and cook one minute more, just until fragrant. Never let garlic brown or it turns bitter.

   The trinity is the backbone of Cajun cooking. Take your time here. Soft, sweet vegetables make a silky soup.
3. 3

   Toast the flour

   Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. You're making a blonde roux right in the pot, coating those vegetables and cooking out the raw flour taste. It should smell nutty and toasty, not like raw paste. The mixture will look slightly dry and pasty. That's exactly right.

4. 4

   Add stock and corn cobs

   Pour in the stock slowly, whisking as you go to prevent lumps. It will bubble and protest when it hits the hot flour. Keep whisking until smooth. Toss in those corn cobs, broken in half so they fit. They'll give up their sweet corn essence into the broth. Add the bay leaves, half the thyme, the Cajun seasoning, and cayenne. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

   Those corn cobs are liquid gold. They infuse the broth with corn flavor that kernels alone can't match. Don't skip this step.
5. 5

   Simmer with potatoes

   Add the cubed potatoes to the simmering broth. Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and some have begun to break down and thicken the soup naturally, about 15 to 18 minutes. Fish out and discard the corn cobs and bay leaves. Taste the broth now. Season with salt and pepper as needed. This is where you build your flavor foundation before the cream goes in.

6. 6

   Add corn kernels

   Stir in the fresh corn kernels and simmer 5 minutes more, just until the corn is tender but still has some bite. Fresh corn cooks fast. You want it sweet and slightly crisp, not mushy. Taste again and adjust seasoning. The soup should taste well-seasoned and deeply flavored at this point.

7. 7

   Finish with cream

   Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and stir gently to combine. Let the chowder heat through for 3 to 4 minutes, but do not let it boil. Boiling cream breaks and curdles. A gentle simmer is all you need. The chowder should be creamy and velvety, thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable.

   After cream goes in, keep the heat low. Patience here means a silky chowder. Impatience means a broken, grainy mess.
8. 8

   Season and add crawfish

   Season the drained crawfish tails lightly with a pinch of Cajun seasoning and a tiny bit of salt. Fold them gently into the chowder along with the reserved bacon pieces. Let everything warm through for just 2 to 3 minutes. The crawfish are already cooked. You're just heating them and letting their flavor mingle. Overcook them now and they'll turn tough.

   Taste the crawfish before adding. Louisiana crawfish are usually seasoned during boiling. Adjust your added salt accordingly.
9. 9

   Finish and serve

   Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining fresh thyme and taste one final time. Adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne to your liking. Ladle generously into warm bowls and scatter the green onion tops and chopped parsley over each serving. A few extra bacon pieces on top never hurt anybody. Serve immediately while the chowder is steaming and the crawfish are tender.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana crawfish tails are the only choice here. Imported crawfish taste muddy and lack sweetness. Check the package and make sure it says Louisiana. We're trying to make real Cajun food.
• •If you can't find fresh corn, frozen works in a pinch. Thaw it first and pat it dry. But fresh corn in season is transformative. Those cobs simmering in the stock make all the difference.
• •This chowder thickens as it sits. When reheating, add a splash of stock or cream to loosen it back to the right consistency. Heat gently and never boil.
• •At Lagniappe, we serve this with hot crusty French bread for dunking. The bread is not optional. It's required for chasing every last drop around the bowl.

Advance Preparation

• •The chowder base can be made through step 6 (before adding cream) up to one day ahead. Refrigerate, then reheat gently before adding cream and crawfish.
• •Bacon can be rendered and the vegetables prepped up to one day ahead. Store separately and refrigerated.
• •Completed chowder keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat very gently over low heat, stirring often. The crawfish will soften slightly but the flavor will still be there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)