Bonefish Grill’s corn chowder spins off copycats
Q. I would like the recipe from Bonefish Grill for their corn chowder lump crab soup. — Norman Ryder, Fort Lauderdale
A. Based on the number of recipes I found while researching online, this is a popular chowder at Bonefish Grill (bonefish.com). Copycat recipes are plastered all over Pinterest, and there are several more versions floating around the Internet.
The copycat recipe I’m sharing comes by way of author Ron Douglas and his cookbook “America’s Most Wanted Recipes, Kids Menu,” Atria Books, 2015. Some recipes I read called for grilled fresh corn instead canned. This would provide a nice charred flavor. You may have to wait until October for fresh Florida corn.
If you’d like, add diced red pepper while sauteing the onions. You can also replace some of the milk with cream for richer results.
Q. We have a dear friend who owns property in Tennessee and every so often goes there. When she returns she always brings back whatever is growing on her trees or is for sale there. This time she brought back a full basket of sugared pecans, which I have kept in the refrigerator. We have to watch our diets. What can I do with them? — Betty Anckonic, Tamarac
A. How lucky you are to have such a nice friend, Betty. I would be tempted to eat them straight from the bag. But there are several ways to add them to recipes, both sweet and savory.
Add them to almost any baking recipes — cookies, cakes, brownies, pies, pancakes, muffins. Toss a handful into green salads or slaws. Finely chopped, the pecans can be used for breading for poultry or seafood.
Claire’s tip of the week: Today’s tip comes from the featured recipe of chef Virginia Willis. When measuring out sticky ingredients such as honey, first spray a little nonstick spray into the measuring utensil, then fill with ingredient. The sticky substance will slide right out.
Sprinkle over baked sweet potatoes or acorn squash or roll your favorite cheese ball recipe in coarsely chopped nuts. For savory dishes, depending on the amount of sweetness of the pecans, you may want to balance the flavor with a pinch of salt and some acid, as in vinegar, citrus juice or zest.
Today’s recipe from chef and cookbook author Virginia Willis, makes a delicious, easy appetizer. Or it can be served over greens as a salad course.