Q: The shrimp chowder at Portabella's restaurant in downtown Alpharetta is fantastic, and I'd love the recipe. Thanks!

-- Angela Deeds, Alpharetta

A: Portabella chef/owner Michael Sield was happy to share the recipe for this delicious creamy chowder. Serve as is for a vegetarian soup, or dress it up, as Sield does, with a garnish of shrimp, crab, sausage, chicken or beef.

-- Jeanne Besser, for the Journal-Constitution

SOUP

Poblano Chowder

Makes 10 servings

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 cups water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch dice

2 poblano peppers, diced, with a few seeds

1 large red onion, diced

1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms

3 ears corn, kernels removed from cob

3 vine-ripe tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced, with 3 seeds

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

4 cups heavy cream

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

10 peeled cooked shrimp (optional garnish)

In a bowl, whisk flour and 1/2 cup oil together; set aside. In a saucepan bring water to a rolling boil. Whisking constantly, add flour mixture. Cook until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Saute potatoes, poblano peppers, red onion, mushrooms, corn, tomatoes, jalapeno, salt, pepper and garlic until potatoes are just tender. Add reserved bechamel to vegetables. Add cream and cilantro and simmer until chowder is thoroughly heated. Garnish with shrimp.

Per serving: 575 calories (percent of calories from fat, 76), 9 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 50 grams fat, 148 milligrams cholesterol, 1,350 milligrams sodium.

Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us what you're looking for and perhaps we can get it. If we succeed, we'll have the recipe tested and adapted for the home kitchen, if necessary. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, along with address and phone number, to:

Mail: Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

E-mail: menu@ajc.com. Fax: 404-526-5509.