Alaska Dungeness Crab and Wild Mushroom Chowder

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 pound Yukon Gold or other thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 pound mixed fresh wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, oysters, and/or shiitakes

1 Tablespoon butter

4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), chopped

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 pound shelled cooked Alaska Dungeness crab

Salt

Fresh-ground pepper

Directions:

In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine potatoes with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, rinse mushrooms briefly and drain. Trim off and discard any tough stem ends; if using shiitakes, discard whole stems. Cut mushrooms into large bite-size pieces. In a heavy 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and stir often until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl.

Add bacon to same pan over medium-high heat and stir often until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is limp, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir often until just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk chicken broth and cream into pan and continue whisking until mixture boils and thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in sherry, Worcestershire, and thyme, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Gently stir in potatoes, mushrooms, and crab. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through.

Nutrients per main-course serving: 364 calories, 26g total fat, 14g saturated fat, 64% calories from fat, 83mg cholesterol, 10g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 709mg sodium, 60mg calcium and .4g omega-3 fatty acids.

Notes: You can substitute common button mushrooms for the wild ones. To add wild flavor, cover 2 packages mixed dried wild mushrooms (about 3/4 oz. total) with 1 cup boiling water and let soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Lift mushrooms out gently, squeeze dry, and cut into bite-size pieces; add with button mushrooms in step 2. Substitute the mushroom-soaking liquid for one cup of the chicken broth in step 4, pouring it in carefully, leaving the sediment behind.

Wine pick: Pinot Noir

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