Dungeness & Mushroom Chowder

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 lb mushrooms, such as chanterelles, oysters or 1 lb shiitake mushroom
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 ounces bacon, chopped (about 4 slices)
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, 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 sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leave, minced
• 1 lb crabmeat, shelled cooked alaska dungeness preferred
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 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.
• 2 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.
• 3 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.
• 4 whisk chicken broth and cream into pan and continue whisking until mixture boils and thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes. stir in sherry, worcestershire, and thyme, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• 5 gently stir in potatoes, mushrooms, and crabmeat. add salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through.
• 6 cook's tip: 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. substitute the mushroom-soaking liquid for one cup of the chicken broth, pouring it in carefully, leaving the sediment behind.