It’s been snowing all day here. It reminds me of last winter when we were snowbound for days but kept coming up with something interesting to eat, thanks to a well-stocked pantry, and a mix of creativity and desperation. Today, there’s not much in the fridge for dinner and we don’t want to brave the roads. But I did have some delicious lumpmeat crab leftover from making crabcakes a few days before. So we’ve made a hearty Crab Chowder.
First, I sauteed chopped garlic and onions in olive oil. Then I added chicken stock, dry white wine, chopped celery and frozen corn and pearl onions. My husband, who is often my cooking partner, walked by and suggested some cilantro, so in it went. So did a few threads of saffron, some thyme, salt and pepper. I remembered I had some bacon in the back of the fridge and cooked it and crumbled it into the soup. Next I thickened the broth by mixing some of it with flour first and then whisking the flour/broth in. Then I added milk, crab and its juice and put it on simmer. I served the Crab Chowder with some gourmet croutons on top. Yum! If I’d had potatoes, parsley, or other vegetables on hand, I�d have tried those too.
Please write in with your impromptu recipes! It’s amazing what you can make when you think you have nothing, whether it’s a snow day or sunny outside.
Shannon