The Crab Chowder with Corn and Celery was published in the Boston Globe Magazine June 12, 2011. "Down East Delicious" included recipes from the new cookbook, Maine Classics by Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier with Rachel Forest. This adapted recipe was delicious and we halved it due to the fact that we didn't want THAT much cream and fat hanging around the house all week.
3 ears of butter and sugar corn
1 quart of heavy cream
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
3/4 c. chopped shallots
1/2 c. chopped celery
Freshly-ground sea salt
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chervil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1-1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. crab meat
Cut the kernels off the fresh, uncooked corn cutting right into the cob. Don't toss the cobs but them in half. Pour the cream into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, place the cobs in the cream and simmer the cobs in the cream until it is reduced by 1/3, or about 30 minutes. Remove the cobs and add the kernels. Cook for 4 minutes
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the shallots, celery, 1 tsp. salt and saute until translucent about five minutes. Add to the corn and cream and cook 1 minute. Add the thyme, tarragon, chervil and 2 Tbsp. of the chives and cook 5 more minutes. Add the lemon juice and 2 tsps of salt.
Place half the crab meat in the chowder. Divide the remaining among 4 bowls and pour the chowder over the crab. Garnish with the remaining chives and freshly groung pepper.
