Recipe of the Week from “THE WEEK” October 23, 2009

Chesapeake Partan Bree

11 ¼ cups water
¾ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
salt
8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups heavy cream
8 slices bacon, chopped
8 oz morel mushrooms, sliced thin, or shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
1 ½ tbsp minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp whiskey
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 lb crabmeat, picked over for shells
pepper
3 tbsp minced fresh chives

Bring water, rice, pinch salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover; cook until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Off heat, remove lid; place clean kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan. Replace lid; let sit. Stand corn upright inside bowl; carefully cut kernels from 5 ears corn using paring knife. Grate remaining 3 ears corn on large holes of box grater into separate bowl. Scrape remaining pulp from cobs into bowl with grated corn using back of butter knife. (Do not discard cobs.)
Combine cobs, broth, cream in large saucepan; bring to simmer, cook 5 minutes. Cover; let steep off heat 20 minutes, then discard cobs. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 3 tbsp bacon fat; return pot to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their juices and are brown around edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in whisky and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; cover to keep warm.

Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, 1.2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in broth mixture and grated corn, scraping up browned bits. Bring to simmer; cook until flavors have combined, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn kernels and rice; continue to cook until kernels are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved mushroom mixture and crabmeat; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual portions with reserved bacon and chives and serve.

Gina,You need a cooking channel on cable! That sounds awesome!

That is just an incredible recipe, I don't think man is capable of making such deliciousness, but, Geana as most of us know can.

I finally made this recipe tonight for the New Year's party we go to where everyone brings a pot of soup.

Since corn on the cob was $5 something for 4 ears this time of year (and not very tasty) I got the 4 ears and cut off the kernels to simmer the cobs in the broth and cream. I made the rest of it up with frozen kernels and 2 cans of creamed soup (probably should have kept it at one can).

The mushrooms sauted in bacon grease, thyme and whiskey are flavor bombs in the soup. Will have to keep this in mind for other uses. I kept the shitake mushroom pieces large in case some folks don't like mushrooms, they can pick them put and put in my bowl.

This is just as good as it sounds and worth all the messing around the recipe calls for.

A soup party......there is another world out there.