Partan Bree, Spencer style

I found a recipe in a magazine. Like most foodie recipes, it took more work than I was willing to invest (cutting corn off corn cob, soaking the corn and cob in cream and broth).

I'm sure it is amazing when done as ordered, however, that wouldn't have happened in my kitchen.

So, anyway, let me put the water on for tea and I'll get back to you.

I'm back.

2 cups chicken broth. I used bouillon and water. For a year and a half I either (A) bought boxed organic broth or (B) tried to make extra of my own to keep frozen as a soup base. I figure I've wasted so much time and money (and packaging), I finally went back to bouillon.

2 cups half and half (recipe called for heavy cream. I figured halfnhalf was sin enough)
1 small can of quality corn (recipe called for corn on the cob, blah blah blah...)
6 slices of bacon. You can add less if you prefer.
8 ounces mushrooms, fancy-schmancy type. Recipe called for morels (!!!). I used about 6 ounces of shiitake.
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh thyme. I used 1 tsp dried, but I'm sure fresh would be better
2 tbsp whiskey. I did use whiskey, but sherry might work for those who prefer it.
2 tbsp butter
1-2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped fine. I used one.
1/2 lb crabmeat. I used the fake stuff. I'll use real, next time. I'm sure canned lump crab would be better than the fake stuff.
Salt,and fresh ground pepper.
3 tbsp minced fresh chives (I used this, but you don't need it. It's just for garnish).

Combine 1.5 cups broth, 2 cups half-n-half, and 1 drained can of corn in a large saucepan and warm on low. Add a small amount of salt and pepper.

I'll have you know that the above directions just deleted about about a half hour of cutting corn off the cobs and soaking the corn cobs and corn in the cream/broth. If you'd like to do that, you go right ahead. You then discard the cobs. Unless you really like corn cobs. If you do, well, you are a weird one, aren't you?

In a skillet, fry the cut-up bacon. When cooked, add mushrooms and cook for about 7-10 minutes. You want it done to the point of having crispy bits to scrape off the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme and cook until fragrant, about one additional minute.

They would have you get yet ANOTHER pot to cook the leeks. I added the remaining broth to the bacon and mushrooms, and threw the leeks in with butter, for about 7 minutes.

If you want to cook the leeks in butter in a separate pan, you wash another pan.

I then put the skillet contents in with the corn/broth/half-n-half base. Add the crab. Add the whiskey.

Let cook about 5 minutes (do NOT bring to a brisk boil) and then salt/pepper to taste. Don't season it until it has had a chance to cook a bit. I then let it sit on low for another 10 minutes. Really, really low. Seriously, if you boil this stuff hard, all that work and money just went right down the drain, because milk does not like being boiled. But it does need to simmer to get the flavors to work together.

This recipe also suggests adding rice. I figured that with all the stuff in here, I'd rather eat it as a chowder/stew. But if you want rice, go for it.

This makes enough for four very generous servings. If you add rice, you will increase that. I cut the recipe in half, by the way. I could have fed the entire road with the original.

When I first put it all together, I was underwhelmed. However, after the thyme cooked into it and all the flavors soaked together, it was very good. I'm interested in seeing whether it is even better tomorrow.

PostNote: EXCELLENT the second day.