Description
This creamy and comforting Seafood Chowder combines a flavorful mix of fresh seafood, crispy bacon, tender vegetables, and rich cream in a hearty broth. Perfectly balanced with a touch of white wine, fish sauce, and herbs, this chowder is ideal for a warming meal served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood and Meat
- 650g/1.3lb seafood marinara mix or mixed fresh seafood (fish, squid, prawns, cooked mussel meat)
- 100g/4oz streaky bacon, chopped into 1.5cm (1/2″) squares
Dairy
- 50g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1 cup thickened cream / heavy cream
Vegetables
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 7mm (1/3″) pieces (~1 1/2 cups)
- 2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm (0.2″) cubes (~2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Liquids
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (optional)
- 1 litre (4 cups) low sodium chicken stock/broth or homemade fish stock
Pantry
- 1/3 cup plain/all-purpose flour (use gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Pinch white pepper (or black pepper)
Garnish
- 3 tbsp chives or parsley, finely chopped
Serving
- Crusty or garlic bread
Instructions
- Prepare seafood: Separate cooked seafood (mussels, cooked prawns) from raw seafood in the marinara mix. Cut any large fish pieces into 2.5cm (1″) cubes for even cooking.
- Cook bacon: In a heavy-based pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes until edges are light golden. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté garlic and deglaze: Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 10 seconds, avoiding browning. Pour in white wine and simmer rapidly for 3 minutes, scraping the base to lift browned bits. Allow wine to mostly evaporate.
- Make roux: Reduce heat to medium, add flour and stir continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.
- Add stock: Gradually pour in about 1 cup of the stock while stirring to dissolve the roux into a thick paste. Add the remaining stock and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
- Simmer vegetables and bacon: Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add carrots, potatoes, and reserved bacon. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until carrots are just tender.
- Add seafood and seasoning: Add cream, fish sauce, white pepper, corn, and raw seafood to the pot. Simmer gently for 3 minutes until the fish is just cooked and flakes easily.
- Combine cooked seafood: Stir in the previously separated cooked seafood. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve: Ladle chowder into bowls, garnish with finely chopped chives or parsley, and serve warm with crusty or garlic bread for dipping.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour if you need a gluten-free version.
- Avoid store-bought fish stock for the best flavor; homemade stock or low sodium chicken stock works well.
- The white wine enhances the flavor but can be omitted if preferred.
- Test seafood doneness by checking if fish flakes apart easily.
- For a lighter chowder, substitute milk instead of cream.
- Cooking times for seafood are brief to avoid overcooking delicate fish and shellfish.
