Seafood Chowder
This seafood chowder recipe simmers cod, shrimp, scallops, and clams in a creamy potato-thickened broth with bacon, Old Bay, and fresh thyme, adding each seafood at the right moment so nothing overcooks.
Equipment
- 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot - Heavy-bottomed vessel prevents scorching
- Chef's knife - Sharp, for seafood and vegetables
- Wooden cutting board
- Wooden spoon - For stirring the roux
- Whisk - For working in the stock without lumps
- Soup Ladle - For serving
- Slotted spoon - For lifting out the bacon
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1 lb firm white fish such as cod or haddock - 450 g, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 8 oz raw large shrimp - 225 g, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz sea scallops - 225 g, side muscle removed, halved if large
- 6.5 oz canned chopped clams - 184 g, meat and juice separated
Base and Aromatics
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon - chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter - 43 g
- 1 large yellow onion - about 1.5 cups or 200 g, diced
- 2 stalks celery - about 1 cup or 120 g, diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour - 40 g
- 4 cups seafood stock or bottled clam juice - 960 ml
- 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes - 680 g, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes, about 4 cups
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves - or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika - optional
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240 ml
- 1 cup whole milk - 240 ml
- salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
To Finish
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
- oyster crackers or crusty bread - for serving
- lemon wedges - optional
Instructions
- Pat the cod, shrimp, and scallops dry with paper towels and keep them chilled. Drain the chopped clams over a bowl, keeping both the meat and the juice. Dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, and peel and cube the potatoes into even 1/2-inch pieces.
- Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it on a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the butter to the bacon fat and let it melt over medium heat. Stir in the diced onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste and coat everything in a light paste.
- Slowly pour in the seafood stock a little at a time, whisking after each addition to keep the roux smooth and lump-free. Stir in the reserved clam juice, then add the cubed potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, Old Bay, and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine, and warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it come to a hard boil, or the dairy can separate.
- Add the cod pieces and scallops first and simmer very gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and the reserved clam meat and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque and the fish flakes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Taste the broth and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in half of the cooked bacon and half of the chopped parsley. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining bacon, more parsley, oyster crackers, and a lemon wedge on the side.
Notes
- Stagger the seafood: Adding all the seafood at once leaves the shrimp rubbery by the time the fish cooks through. Add the cod and scallops first, then the shrimp and clams a few minutes later.
- Pat the scallops dry: Scallops release a lot of water, so dry them well before they go in or the broth turns thin and loses its cling.
- Choose waxy potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape here, while russets break down into mush and cloud the broth.
- Keep it at a simmer: A cream base that reaches a rolling boil can curdle, so hold it at a lazy bubble once the dairy is in.
- Undercook the seafood slightly: It keeps cooking in the hot broth off the heat, so pull the pot the moment the shrimp turn pink.
- Season at the very end: The bacon, Old Bay, and clam juice all add salt, so wait until everything is in before adjusting.
- Let it rest: Five minutes off the heat lets the flavors settle and the broth thicken slightly.
- Storage: Cool the chowder, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat low and slow, stirring often, until just steaming, and loosen with a splash of milk or stock if needed.
- Freezing: Cream and seafood do not freeze well. If you plan to freeze, make the potato and broth base without the cream or seafood, then add both fresh when reheating.
- Make ahead: The potato and broth base can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Add the cream and seafood fresh when you reheat for the best texture.
- Variations: Swap in lobster or crab in the final two minutes for a luxe version, add smoked haddock for a smoky twist, stir in 1 cup sweet corn with the potatoes, use half-and-half for a lighter broth, or use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free pot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 33gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 920mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g
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