CRAB AND CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients
3 large potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 quart (4 cups) half and half
1 pint (2 cups) milk
1-2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (6 oz.) cans lump crab meat
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar


Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Peel and dice potatoes.  Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until just tender, 5-10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Meanwhile, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic, onions and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for an additional minute or two.  Whisk broth into butter/flour mixture and continue cooking and stirring until mixture bubbles and thickens. Stir in half and half, milk, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Add cooked potatoes, crab meat and corn. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, adding more broth or milk if soup becomes too thick.  Just before serving, stir in red wine vinegar.

Let's Dish
My husband is a big fan of clam chowder, but I like this crab chowder even more.  The recipe as originally given to me didn't use corn, so feel free to leave that out, but I think it really adds to the dish.  As with most soups, you can always use a little less of this or a little more of that, depending on what you have on hand.  Since this chowder uses half and half instead of cream, I feel a little less guilty having a second bowl.  I like to have a bottle of hot sauce on the table, for those who want to spice their chowder up a bit.

Who Dished It Up First
My friend and neighbor Micah passed this recipe on to me.