Description
This hearty and flavorful Seafood Chowder combines a medley of fresh seafood with creamy broth, tender vegetables, and smoky bacon. Perfect for warming up on cooler days, this chowder features a rich roux-thickened base infused with garlic, white wine, and fish sauce, finished with fresh herbs and served alongside crusty bread for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 650g (1.3lb) seafood marinara mix or mixed fresh seafood – fish (cut into 2.5cm/1″ cubes if large), squid, prawns, cooked mussel meat (separate cooked and raw seafood)
Base and Vegetables
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 7mm (1/3″) pieces (~1 1/2 cups)
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm (0.2″) cubes (~2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
Chowder Ingredients
- 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, can skip)
- 1/3 cup plain/all-purpose flour (see note for gluten-free options)
- 1 litre (4 cups) low-sodium chicken stock/broth or homemade fish stock (avoid store-bought fish stock)
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream (substitute milk for lighter option)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Pinch white pepper (can substitute black pepper)
- 3 tbsp finely chopped chives or parsley for garnish
Serving
- Crusty bread or garlic bread for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Seafood: Separate cooked seafood (usually mussels, cooked prawns/shrimp) from raw seafood. Cut any large pieces of raw fish into 2.5cm (1″) cubes for even cooking.
- Cook Bacon: In a heavy-based pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Garlic and Deglaze: Add minced garlic to the bacon fat and cook for about 10 seconds, careful not to brown it. Pour in white wine and simmer rapidly over high heat for 3 minutes, scraping the pot base to loosen browned bits, until wine mostly evaporates.
- Make Roux: Reduce heat to medium and add flour. Stir continuously for 1 minute to cook the flour and create a roux.
- Add Stock: Gradually pour in about 1 cup of the stock while stirring vigorously to dissolve the roux into a thick paste. Then add the remaining stock, stirring well to remove lumps. Use a whisk if necessary for a smooth broth.
- Simmer Vegetables: Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add carrots, potatoes, and cooked bacon back into the pot. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until carrots are nearly tender.
- Add Cream and Flavorings: Stir in cream, fish sauce, white pepper, and corn. Add the raw seafood and simmer gently for 3 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked and flakes easily.
- Incorporate Cooked Seafood: Stir in the cooked seafood to warm through. Taste and adjust salt as needed, though additional salt may not be necessary due to fish sauce and bacon.
- Serve: Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with chopped chives or parsley, and serve hot with warm crusty or garlic bread for dipping.
Notes
- Note 1: Separate cooked and raw seafood to prevent overcooking; cooked seafood is added at the end to warm through.
- Note 2: Homemade fish stock is preferred over store-bought for better flavor; low-sodium chicken stock is an alternative.
- Note 3: Use gluten-free flour substitute if needed to make this recipe gluten-free.
- For a lighter chowder, substitute milk for cream but texture and richness will be reduced.
- Ensure to not overcook garlic to avoid bitterness; sauté briefly until fragrant.
