Ingredients
For the barbecue sauce:
1 cup organic ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark amber maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
For the chowder:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 ounces smoky bacon, chopped (optional)
5-6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
4 ears corn, cleaned and scraped, or 2 cups defrosted kernels
2-3 ribs celery, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red chili pepper, such as Fresno, sliced or chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 round tablespoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay (a palmful)
1 bay leaf
1 bottle warm lager beer (12 ounces)
1 can red kidney beans (15 ounces)
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes with chilies (15 ounces)
4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
4 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
1 ripe avocado
Juice of 1 lime
Tortilla chips
Directions
For the sauce: Place the ketchup, brown sugar, syrup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and garlic in a small pot. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low and thicken for 15 minutes. (This sauce stores well for weeks and makes a tasty Sloppy Joe, burger baster and pork chop topper if you want to double the recipe. If using for a more all-purpose barbecue sauce, add 1/2 cup chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.) For the chowder: Heat the EVOO in a soup pot over medium-high heat and add the bacon, if using. Cook until crisp, 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, celery, onion, bell pepper, chili pepper, garlic, thyme, seafood seasoning and bay leaf and stir. Cook to soften, 8-10 minutes. Add the beer and cook the beer down by half, 1-2 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, shredded chicken, barbecue sauce, stock and 2 cups of water. Simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over medium heat. Peel, pit and dice the avocado and dress it in the lime juice. Place the diced avocado and some broken tortilla chips in each soup bowl, then top with the hot chowder and serve.