Grilled Corn and Shrimp Chowder with Asian Chili Sauce

Remove the husks from corn. Preheat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Peel onion and cut into a rough small dice. Remove seeds and stem from the red peppers and cut into a small dice. Add onion and red pepper to the large soup pot. Sweat vegetables in oil for about five minutes until softened.

Meanwhile, remove corn kernels from four ears. Peel garlic cloves and mince. When onions are soft add garlic and corn. Sweat for another 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, garlic chili sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover with a lid, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes.

Pre-heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Coat remaining 2 ears of corn in 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Grill for about 10 minutes turning often until corn is cooked through. While corn is cooking, mix remaining 2 tablespoons oil with garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder, some salt and pepper. Mix in shrimp and let marinate for at least 5 minutes.

When corn is done, set aside to cool. Add shrimp to grill pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Set aside.

Remove corn kernels from grilled corn. When soup is done simmering, remove from the heat and remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a standing blender and blend in batches. Return the smooth soup to the pot and return to a medium heat. Stir in grilled corn kernels. Taste soup and adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and pepper and additional garlic chili sauce if desired.

Ladle soup into bowls. Divide shrimp up among bowls and top each with a cilantro sprig.