Recipe: Clam and Corn Chowder

Clam and Corn Chowder:

• 4 ears of corn

• 4 cups heavy cream

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2 cups chopped fresh or jarred clams

• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

• Salt

• 1 lemon

• Tabasco sauce

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. Break the corn cobs in half. Put the cream, half of the corn kernels, and the cobs in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.Remove and discard the corn cobs and transfer the cream and corn to a blender. Puree until smooth, then push the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and add the reserved corn kernels. Saute for 2 to 4 minutes, until just tender, then add the clams and saute for 1 minute. Add the cream mixture and heat through. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, the sugar, and Old Bay and season to taste with salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a dash of Tabasco sauce. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Serve this luxurious chowder in small bowls. You can replace half of the heavy cream with whole milk, if you'd like, and reduce the amount of butter, but the chowder won't be quite as silky and rich.