THE G.O.A.T. SEAFOOD CHILI WITH GOAT CHEESE CREMA AND PICO DE GALLO

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Ragin Cajun|Seafood|Soups and Chowders|Tex-Mex

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Ingredients

The Chili:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1-pound sea scallops

2 tablespoons Dish off the Block Ragin’ Cajun Spice Blend

1 large onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (including seeds)

6 large cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup tequila

¼ pound cooked chorizo sausage, chopped fine

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons lobster base

1, 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

8-ounces cream cheese

2-pounds littleneck clams, shells scrubbed clean with a potato brush

2-pounds mussels, bearded and scrubbed clean with a potato brush

1, 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1, 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-pound lump crab meat

2, 3.5-ounce packages Treasure Cave Crumbled Goat Cheese

½ cup scallions, chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, leaves chopped

2 tabelspoons lime juice

The Crema:

½ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1, 3.5-ounce package Treasure Cave Crumbled Goat Cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

The Pico de Gallo:

2 cups tomatoes, chopped fine

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (8-10 quart) or soup pot over medium high heat.

Pat the shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning to coat. When the oil is very hot, add them to the pan and sear quickly on each side, about 1 minute. They do not need to be cooked through, just seared on the outside. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions, jalapeño, and garlic to the pan drippings and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the tequila to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add the chorizo, red pepper, green pepper, and lobster base to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until all of the liquid is absorbed and peppers are soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, salt, chili powder, cumin, and remaining tablespoon of Cajun seasoning to the pan. Bring to a boil and add the crema cheese. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is incorporated. Bring back to a low boil.

Add the clams to the pot and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the clams start to open. Add the mussels to the pot and bring the sauce back to a boil. Cover and cook 6-8 minutes more until all of the clams and mussels have opened. Discard any that have not opened.

Add the shrimp and scallops back to the pot with any juices that have released. Stir to combine. Add the beans, crab meat, 1 ½ packages of the crumbled goat cheese, ½ the scallions, ½ of the cilantro, and the lime juice to the pot. Gently stir and toss to combine everything taking care not to crush the crab and goat cheese too much. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

To make your crema, combine the sour cream, heavy cream, goat cheese, and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine.

To make your pico de gallo, combine everything in another small bowl and toss to combine.

Serve your (ahhhhmazing) chili hot in bowls topped with a dollop of the crema and a couple tablespoons of the pico de gallo. Garnish with the remaining crumbled goat cheese, scallions, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges. DEVOUR!!