1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarseley chopped
2 packages (10-ounces each) frozen whole-kernel corn
2 cans (14½ ounces each) chicken broth
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
⅛ teaspoon cayenne, add more to taste, as needed
1¾ pounds medium raw shrimp
½ cup half and half
Chopped fresh thyme leaves for garnish
1 in large saucepan, or stockpot, melt margarine or butter with the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring often.
2 Reserve 1½ cups corn. Add remaining corn to the saucepan/stockpot; stir in chicken broth, sugar, salt, thyme, cayenne and 2 cups water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3 Meanwhile, shell and devein 20 shrimp leaving tail part of shell on, for garnish. Shell and devein remaining shrimp, and slice each horizontally in half; set aside.
4 Cook shrimp for garnish: In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches of water to boiling over high heat. Add the 20 shrimp; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute or until shrimp turn opaque throughout. Drain; keep warm.
5 In blender at low speed, blend soup in small batches until very smooth. Pour soup into large bowl after each batch.
6 Return blended soup and reserved corn to the large saucepan/stockpot; stir in half and half. Heat soup over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Add sliced shrimp and cook 5 minutes longer or until shrimp turn opaque throughout.
7 To serve, spoon chowder into 10 bowls; garnish each with 2 whole shrimp that has been set aside. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.
As a lighter meal, serve with a green salad and crusty baguette!
