SHRIMP AND CRAB BLACK BEAN AND CORN CHOWDER

At Alfano's at the Quail restaurant, Marc Alfano sells a packet for $10 containing dried black beans, ancho pepper and a seasoning mix and this recipe. It makes three gallons, with you adding fresh ingredients and seafood. But you also can make your own "kit" using the amounts of ingredients in parentheses below, which he graciously supplied.

The recipe is adaptable, he says. You could reconstitute the ancho pepper separately in hot water and then add that and its water to the soup. You could substitute turkey for the seafood. Or if the soup turns out too spicy hot, you can add a pint of heavy cream before serving.

• Dried black beans (about a pound)
  
• 1 dried ancho pepper
  
• 10 cups water
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  
• 2 medium poblano chilies, seeded, chopped
  
• 2/3 cup chopped red onion
  
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
  
• 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
  
• 1 large leek, white part only, chopped
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• Seasoning package (or about 4 1/2 ounces of corn flour plus a variety of Southwest seasonings -- cumin, coriander, cayenne -- to taste)
  
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
  
• 2 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
  
• 4 cups diced cooked shrimp
  
• About 1 pound canned lump crabmeat
  
• Pint of heavy cream (optional)
  
• Toppings: grated cheddar cheese, red onion, sour cream, fresh cilantro

Soak black beans and ancho in large pot overnight.

Drain beans, remove ancho and reserve, then add 10 cups water and pepper to the drained beans. Bring them to a boil, simmer 1 1/2 hours. Then drain.

Remove stem and seeds from ancho and chop it up.

Melt butter in pot; add chiles, including the ancho, onion, celery, bell peppers, leek and garlic. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Add the seasoning packet, or your own flour and spices, and cook 5 minutes.

Add four cups of stock.

Bring to simmer. Puree 1 1/4 cup of corn with the remaining 1/2 cup of stock. Add this to chowder. Mix black beans, shrimp and crabmeat and remaining cup of corn. Simmer all for 25 minutes.

If too spicy, add a pint of heavy cream before serving.

Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, red onion, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Makes about 3 gallons.

-- Alfano's at the Quail