Description
This hearty and creamy Seafood Chowder combines a rich blend of fresh mixed seafood with tender potatoes, sweet corn, and flavorful bacon in a smooth, comforting broth. Perfect for a satisfying meal, it features a delicate balance of buttery roux, white wine, and cream, garnished with fresh chives and served with crusty bread for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 650g (1.3 lb) seafood marinara mix or mixed fresh seafood (fish, squid, prawns, cooked mussel meat)
- Cooked seafood separated from raw seafood
- Raw seafood cut into 2.5 cm (1″) cubes if large
Dairy & Butter
- 50g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1 cup thickened cream / heavy cream (substitute milk for lighter option)
Meat
- 100g (4 oz) streaky bacon, chopped into 1.5 cm (1/2″) squares
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 7 mm (1/3″) pieces (~1 1/2 cups)
- 2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 cm (0.2″) cubes (~2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
Liquids & Stocks
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (optional)
- 1 litre (4 cups) low sodium chicken stock or homemade fish stock (avoid store-bought fish stock)
Pantry & Seasonings
- 1/3 cup plain/all-purpose flour (for gluten-free, use suitable gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Pinch white pepper (or substitute black pepper)
Garnish & Serving
- 3 tbsp chives or parsley, finely chopped
- Crusty bread or garlic bread for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the seafood: Separate the cooked seafood from the raw in the marinara mix. If the fish pieces are large, cut them into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes for even cooking.
- Cook the bacon: In a heavy-based pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté garlic and deglaze: Add the minced garlic to the bacon fat and cook for about 10 seconds without browning. Pour in the white wine and simmer rapidly over high heat for 3 minutes, scraping the pot’s base to loosen any browned bits, allowing most of the wine to evaporate.
- Make the roux: Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle in the flour, stirring continuously for 1 minute to form a roux, which will help thicken the chowder.
- Add stock: Gradually pour about 1 cup of the stock while stirring to dissolve the roux, creating a thick paste. Slowly add the remaining stock, stirring well until smooth and free of lumps—using a whisk if necessary.
- Simmer vegetables and bacon: Increase heat to high to bring the mixture to a boil. Add the peeled and chopped carrots, potatoes, and cooked bacon. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes until the carrots are nearly tender.
- Add cream, corn, and raw seafood: Stir in the thickened cream, fish sauce, pepper, corn, and raw seafood pieces. Simmer for 3 minutes until the seafood is just cooked and flakes easily when tested.
- Incorporate cooked seafood and adjust seasoning: Fold in the cooked seafood, taste the chowder, and add salt if needed (usually not required due to bacon and fish sauce).
- Serve: Ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with finely chopped chives or parsley, and serve immediately with warm crusty or garlic bread for dipping.
Notes
- Use fresh seafood where possible for the best flavor.
- If substituting all-purpose flour, gluten-free flour can be used for a gluten-free version.
- Homemade fish stock is preferred over store-bought for a richer taste.
- White wine is optional and can be omitted if desired.
- Adjust fish sauce and seasoning to taste, as it is quite salty.
- Serving with crusty garlic bread enhances the chowder’s savoriness and texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Seafood
