Shrimp and Spinach Chowder

 This chowder is so simple to make and yet it can be a delicious one-bowl meal. Full of spinach and shrimp with just the right touch of lemon and nutmeg, it sends the taste senses into orbit! It is made even better when one uses local fresh spinach, potatoes, carrots, onions, herbs, milk and cream found at the Saratoga Farmers' Market, on Saturday mornings, 9-1, in the gym of the Division Street Elementary School.  Sorry, but you will have to go to the store for the shrimp and herbs. (True Localvores can substitute local chicken for the shrimp!)

Soup Base:
• 4 C low salt chicken broth
  (or vegetable broth)
• 1/2 C yellow onion, grated
• 1/2 C carrot, grated (I will often
  use frozen local corn if I have it
  on hand)
• 3 C red potatoes, cut in chunks
  (approx 1 lb.)
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp. fresh
  grated nutmeg
White Sauce:
• 6 Tbsp.
  unsalted
  butter
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 1 C cold milk
Soup Add-ins:
• 8 C fresh spinach,
  stemmed,
  cut into ribbons
  (~4 bags at the market)
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp,
  peeled and deveined
• red pepper to taste
• 2 C heavy cream,
  room temperature
• Garnish with lemon zest curls
Simmer all the ingredients of the soup base in a stockpot for 15 minutes. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, remove from heat and whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk milk into butter mixture and put back on stove over low heat. Keep stirring to prevent lumps and cook for 2 minutes and immediately pour into simmering soup base, continuing to stir. Add the spinach and shrimp to the soup, cooking approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and red pepper (to taste). Garnish with the lemon zest curls. This will serve 8 cups of soup.
Psst: rumor has it that there will be chowder at the Farmers' Market this week!