Ecuadoran Shrimp and Corn Chowder
from https://www.foodandwine.com/

Sweet corn and plump shrimp simmer in Maricel Presilla's creamy, flavorful coastal Ecuadoran chowder.

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best. Chef, culinary historian, and author Maricel Presilla shared this recipe for a coastal Ecuadoran shrimp soup when we asked her for an example of classic Ecuadoran food. Key to this recipe is the grated plantain, which gives the soup a wonderfully light and creamy body (be sure to use an unripe plantain here).

Part of the banana family, the plantain is a starchy tropical fruit that's generally enjoyed cooked. A green plantain indicates that it is unripe, making it more akin to a potato than a banana and best used in savory applications, like fried up to make tostones. For this recipe, a green plantain is grated and added to the simmering broth to cook, then pureed and stirred back into the soup to provide earthy heft and a creamy texture.

Annatto seeds, aka achiote, are tiny, vibrant red-orange seeds from the Bixa orellana shrub native to Central America. Popular in cuisines throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, they're used as both a natural coloring agent and to impart their subtle peppery, slightly smoky-sweet flavor to a variety of dishes. Here, Presilla steeps the seeds in hot corn oil, then strains them out for a bright, flavorful infused oil; another common preparation is to grind the seeds into a paste along with other spices and aromatics.

This recipe yields more Annatto Oil than needed for the chowder. Store the remainder in the fridge and use it in place of regular oil any time you'd like to add a bit of Latin flair — it's great for sautéing, sweating sofrito or aromatics, brushing over chicken, poultry, or veggies before roasting, or drizzling over seafood, rice bowls, or eggs for a little extra flavor infusion.

Annatto Oil
1 cup corn oil
1/4 cup annatto seeds

Chowder
2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons Annatto Oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups fish or chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 unripe (green) plantain, peeled and coarsely grated
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Tangy Corn Salsa, for serving

Make the Annatto Oil: In a small saucepan, combine the oil and annatto seeds and bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the oil cool completely, about 30 minutes. Strain the Annatto Oil into a jar.

Make the chowder: In a large, shallow glass or stainless steel bowl, toss the shrimp with two-thirds of the minced garlic, the scallions, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 hours.

In a food processor, puree the corn with the milk. Pour the puree through a coarse strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Heat the Annatto Oil in a large saucepan or enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the remaining garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cumin and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the corn milk, stock, plantain, cilantro, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until very flavorful, about 20 minutes.

Pour the soup through a coarse strainer. Working in batches, puree the vegetables in a blender. Return the puree and the strained broth to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and its marinade and cook over moderate heat until the shrimp are just opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and serve in warmed soup plates or bowls with the Tangy Corn Salsa.

Servings: 6