Light Shrimp Chowder

I found this Low Country Shrimp Chowder recipe in a Food Network magazine and it looked like an easy, quick shrimp soup. Not really a thick chowder but something a little lighter. On this particular night I had just received a nice package of chocolate from my dad in the mail, and was looking forward to finishing up the last season of True Blood, so I got to work.

I started with a good chunk of butter (yes, real butter!) in the pot but added some olive oil too - I find I usually burn pure butter. I added the scallions but omitted the celery (because it's gross). Actually I would have added celery in this case, but hardly wanted to go out and buy a whole bunch when I just wanted one stalk. I was very excited to use my Old Bay seasoning, which I had just bought, I just wished it called for more! I probably put in 2 tsp, even though I'm pretty sure it's mostly salt. I then threw in some orange bell pepper and, as extra veggies, a couple carrots.

The broth is made up of 2 cups of milk, and 6 cups water. Many of the reviewers on the Food Network website used stock instead because they found it too bland, but I just went with water. I did of course add salt and lots of pepper, and shrimp's pretty salty anyway. The recipe also calls for 1/2 cup white rice, which thickened it a little. Near the end I added in (drained and thawed) corn and shrimp - I bought the slightly cheaper 'Atlantic' shrimp, the tiny ones, which means there were a lot more and they were easier to eat in soup-form.

I topped the soup with parsley, grabbed a glass of white wine and sat down to watch vampires kill/have sex with each other. The soup was really good, light but with lots of flavour (definitely salty enough!) and a nice yellow butter shine on top. Mmm.