Seafood Chowder
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- More effort
- Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
- 110g streaky bacon, rind removed, cut into 5mm dice
- 175-225g white onions, finely chopped
- 25g plain flour
- 850ml fish stock.
- 425ml full fat milk
- Bouquet garni made up of 6 parsley stalks, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf or ready prepared bought bag of garni.
- 6 medium-sized potatoes, king Edward, maris piper or desire cut into 5mm dice.
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- pinch of mace
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 700g haddock, monkfish, cod or other firm white fish (or a mixture), free of bones and skin
- 150ml double cream
- 450g mixed cooked shellfish - mussels, clams, scallops, shrimps or prawns and the cooking liquor.
Method
- STEP 1Heat the oil in a pan and brown the bacon well until it is crisp and golden.
- STEP 2Add the onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- STEP 3Add the fish stock or water gradually. Add the milk, bouquet garni and potatoes. Season well with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne.
- STEP 4Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked, approximately 5-6 minutes. (The chowder may be prepared ahead to this point.)
- STEP 5Cut the fish into 2.5cm cubes. Add to the pot as soon as the tip of a knife will go through a potato.
- STEP 6Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, turn up the heat and stir in the cream and add the shellfish. When boiling, remove from the heat.
- STEP 7Taste, correct the seasoning and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and chives.
- STEP 8Serve in a warmed bread trencher (crusty bread roll with the top cut off and hollowed out.)
