Seafood Chowder

Grab your favorite bowl and help yourself to a few ladles of thick, rich, creamy Seafood Chowder to warm your heart and belly with an almost decadent combination of red potatoes, celery, shrimp, lobster, fish, scallops, crab, clams, and oysters. I can promise you if you enjoy seafood, this remarkably simple, easy-to-follow the recipe for Seafood Chowder is going to make your day.

When I was a child, I loved it when my father would make his Chowder. After all, it was one of my favorites that he cooked… Sometimes he would make what he called a “Fisherman’s Chowder,” which was utterly delicious even though the only seafood ingredient would be fish he had caught when he took the boat out that day.

 

Chowder is an extraordinarily forgiving and friendly recipe that has generated several variations over the years ranging from highly traditional to a simple recipe that includes potatoes and only corn (Potato Chowder), so believe it or not, you can pretty much add or omit ingredients and change this recipe to suit your taste and budget very quickly.

I love seafood, so below, you will find my recipe does contain shrimp, lobster, fresh fish, scallops, crab meat, and clams. I always say, Go big if you can and enjoy what you love. The recipe may be a little extravagant; however, the directions and method fairly quickly follow.

 

 

 

Seafood Chowder Recipe

• Three tablespoons unsalted butter

• Two medium onions, roughly diced

• Four stalks of green celery, sliced

• Six cups of shrimp or fish stock

• juice of one lemon

• Six sprigs of fresh dill, chopped

• A pinch of tarragon

• Two dried bay leaves

• Kosher salt, to taste

• freshly ground black peppercorns to taste

• Eight small red potatoes, skin on, cut into 1×1 inch pieces

• Three pounds of seafood mix (shrimp, lobster, fish, scallops, crab, clams, oysters)

• One and 1/2 cups heavy cream

• chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

 

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat; sauté celery and onion for about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups of fish stock or shrimp stock, lemon juice, chopped dill, a pinch of tarragon, bay leaves, kosher salt, and freshly ground peppercorns to taste. Next, add red potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes.

2. Add your choice of seafood, a mix such as shrimp, lobster, fish scallops, crab, clams, oysters, or whatever you desire. Be sure not to overcook seafood as it cooks very fast. About 5-7 minutes in the simmering soup will be more than enough to thoroughly cook most seafood.

3. Altogether remove from heat and let set on a heat-resistant area for about 8-10 minutes while the Seafood Chowder slightly cools.

4. Once 8-10 minutes have passed, slowly add heavy cream, a little at a time, and any additional salt and pepper you may desire.

5. Place in desired serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

 

 

 

Notes:

1. You can easily make homemade shrimp or fish stock, and several great recipes are on the net. However, in a pinch, most local grocers also sell it.

2. If you cannot purchase fresh seafood, you may also substitute quality frozen seafood, be sure to look if it’s raw or cooked to adjust time so as not to under or overcook.

3. Heavy cream may also be substituted with half and half. You may need to use a thickener to make Chowder desired thickness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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