Green Chile & Oyster Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 lb red potatoes, diced (1/2 inch)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups clam broth (or fish stock)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 lb fresh green chilies
• 2 cups peanut oil
• 1/2 cup corn kernel
• 16 shucked oysters, in liquid (or use scallops)
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and diced (1/2 inch)
• 2 cups half-and-half (or for a richer chowder use heavy cream)
• salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon marjoram, chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Boil potatoes in water for 4 minutes, drain, rinse and let cool. Set aside.

2. 2

   Over low heat cook onion and bay leaf in one cup of clam broth (or fish stock) for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Discard bay leaf and let cool.

3. 3

   Fry the green chiles in the oil for about 4-5 minutes or until skin blisters but not black. Skin chiles, remove seeds and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

4. 4

   Steam the corn in 1/4 cup water for 2 minutes until tender (or use frozen thawed corn kernals).

5. 5

   In a large soup pot, combine the oysters with their liquid, the remaining broth (1 1/2 cups) and the green chiles and cook over low heat for 2-5 minutes, then add the potatoes, onion and red pepper and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir in half-and-half (or heavy cream), keeping mixture below a boil (or half-and-half will seperate). Stir in salt, corn and butter.

6. 6

   Pour soup into soup bowls and garnish with marjoram.