Seafood Chowder

If you are like me you have been eating too many rich, sweet, heavy foods and are ready for something tasty that is healthy.   This seafood chowder is a nice light meal, but still seems like you prepared something special for your family and guests.  It would make a great New Years Eve dinner, pared with a salad and some nice bread.   I often make this chowder for Christmas Eve.

To make the chowder you first need to make the stock. I usually do this earlier in the day or a day ahead.

Stock:
¼ cup coarsely chopped carrot
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 stalk coarsely chopped celery
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1- 48 ounce (6 cups) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 – 8 ounce bottles of clam juice

Prepare stock: In a 4 quart stockpot, add all stock ingredients and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a large bowl and discard the solids. Cover the liquid and set aside.

While the stock is cooking you can chop the veggies for the chowder.

¼ cup butter
1 cup diced onion
½ cup diced carrot
¾ cup diced celery
1 yellow pepper chopped
1 clove garlic, minced.

Prepare bisque: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

 

1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon group black pepper

Stir in the parsley, flour, thyme, tomato paste, salt and black pepper. Cook and continue to stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the stock and bring to a boil.

Add:

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 – 15oz can chopped tomatoes

Reduce heat to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes.

1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over and shell pieces discarded
1 pound scallops
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup small pasta

Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and scallops and simmer until just done about 5 to 10 minutes.   Stir in the crabmeat and  simmer until heated through.

Serves 8

You can substitute the seafood to your liking.

Here is the recipe as a printable PDF – Seafood Chowder

May you have a Healthy and Happy New Year

Jane