We are enjoying rare snowfall in Tennessee. Cold weather screams for soups. Tonight I am finishing up crab from Valentines Day dinner in my own version of a chowder. This one is not night shade free although it is gluten and cow dairy free.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/ 4 a cup of diced sweet onion
• 3 celery ribs, finely sliced
• 1 cup of diced potato
• 1/2 an Andouille sausage, diced and seared
• 1 cup of corn scraped from the cob or frozen
• 2 pounds lump crab
• 2 cups goat milk whole milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 TBS corn starch
• 6 cups of corn and crab stock (boil down cobs & shells)
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons cognac
• 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 strips of crispy bacon, chopped for garnish
• 3 green onion tops finely sliced for garnish
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Strip corn from cobs and shell crabs. Place in a large boing put and cover with water. Add any onion, herb abd celery scraps you may have plus salt and pepper. You will want to let this boil for a few hours. It can be made ahead of time and frozen too. Sundays in my house are usually stock days made from all the weeks scraps.
2. As your stock is boiling, prepare your onion, celery, garlic, herbs and potatoes. Set aside.
3. Chop Andouille and sear in a pan. That smoky char adds do much to the stock.
4. Fry the bacon, chop and set aside.
5. Add the onion and celery to a heated pan with oil or butter. Sautee until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Add half of the Andouille.
6. Add the cognac and flambé
7. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling add potatoes and cook until tender.
8. When the potatoes are tender, strain the soup separating the solids from the stock. Add 1/4 cup of the solids back to the broth with the cornstarch and use a stick blender to puree.
9. Add the goat milk, being careful for to boil it. Allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes and reduce.
10. Return all ingredients (reserving bacon and parsley for garnish). Bring to temp and serve.