Description
A rich and creamy seafood chowder featuring a medley of fresh fish, squid, prawns, and cooked mussels simmered with bacon, garlic, and vegetables in a buttery roux-based broth. Finished with cream, corn, and garnished with fresh chives, this comforting dish is perfect for seafood lovers seeking a hearty and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 650g (1.3lb) seafood marinara mix or mixed fresh seafood (fish, squid, prawns, cooked mussel meat)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
Broth and Vegetables
- 1 litre (4 cups) low sodium chicken stock/broth OR homemade fish stock
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 7mm (1/3″) pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm (0.4″) cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
Roux and Flavorings
- 50g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 100g (4oz) streaky bacon, chopped into 1.5cm (1/2″) squares
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (optional)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour; gluten-free option possible)
- Pinch white pepper (can substitute black pepper)
- 1 cup thickened cream/heavy cream (can substitute milk for lighter version)
Garnish & Serving
- 3 tbsp finely chopped chives or parsley
- Crusty bread or garlic bread, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Seafood: Separate cooked seafood (such as mussels and sometimes prawns/shrimp) from raw seafood. Cut any large pieces of raw fish into 2.5cm (1″) cubes to ensure even cooking.
- Cook Bacon: In a heavy-based pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until edges turn light golden. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Sauté Garlic & Deglaze: Add finely minced garlic to the pot and cook for about 10 seconds, being careful not to brown it. Pour in the white wine and simmer rapidly over high heat for 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pot’s base, until the wine mostly evaporates.
- Make Roux: Reduce heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook and mix continuously for 1 minute to form a roux, which will help thicken the chowder.
- Add Stock: Gradually pour in about 1 cup of the stock while stirring to dissolve the roux, forming a smooth paste. Add the remaining stock and whisk well if needed to eliminate lumps.
- Simmer Vegetables and Bacon: Increase heat to high, bring chowder to a boil. Add the chopped carrots, potatoes, and reserved bacon. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, until carrots are just tender.
- Cook Raw Seafood: Stir in cream, fish sauce, white pepper, corn, and raw seafood. Simmer for 3 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and raw seafood is just cooked through.
- Add Cooked Seafood: Gently stir in the cooked seafood (mussels or pre-cooked prawns). Taste the chowder and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the seafood chowder into bowls, garnish with chopped chives or parsley. Serve hot with crusty or garlic bread for dipping and enjoying alongside.
Notes
- Use homemade fish stock to enhance flavor, as store-bought fish stock can be too strong or artificial.
- If gluten-free, substitute plain flour with a gluten-free all-purpose blend for the roux.
- White wine is optional; you can omit it for a non-alcoholic version.
- For a lighter chowder, substitute heavy cream with milk, but the texture will be less rich.
- Be careful not to overcook seafood; it should be just cooked through to remain tender.
