Seafood Chowder Recipe - A Hearty, Thick, and Creamy Soup

Servings: 6
Total Time: 25 mins + 20 mins cooking time
Calories: 531 kcal

Ireland's extensive coastline and abundant waters have made seafood a staple in its culinary traditions. Coastal communities have relied on the sea for sustenance for generations, incorporating fresh catches into their daily diets. This connection to the sea is reflected in many traditional Irish dishes, such as seafood chowder, smoked salmon, and fish pie.

Seafood dishes like chowder and smoked salmon are integral to Irish cuisine, showcasing the country's commitment to fresh, local ingredients.

Darina Allen, a renowned Irish chef, has deep roots in Ireland's culinary traditions. She was born in Cullohill, County Laois, and later established the Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork. Her background is steeped in the rich agricultural and culinary heritage of Ireland, which significantly influences her cooking style.

Darina Allen's seafood chowder embodies this tradition, using locally sourced fish and shellfish to create a dish that is both comforting and reflective of Ireland's coastal heritage.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

• 110g/4oz streaky bacon, rind removed, cut into 5mm/¼ in dice

• 175-225g/6-8oz onions, chopped

• 25g/1oz flour

• 850ml/1½ pints homemade fish stock or, if no fish stock, water

• 425ml/¾ pint milk

• Bouquet garni made up of 6 parsley stalks, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf

• 6 medium-sized potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonder, cut into 5mm/¼ in dice

• salt and freshly ground pepper

• pinch of mace

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• 700g/1½ lb haddock, monkfish, cod or other firm white fish (or a mixture), free of bones and skin

• 150ml/¼ pint single cream

• 450g/1lb mixed cooked shellfish - mussels, clams, scallops, shrimps or prawns and the cooking liquor

To serve

• freshly chopped parsley and chives
• crusty bread and butter

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a stainless-steel saucepan and brown the bacon well until it is crisp and golden.

• Add the onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.

• Add the fish stock or water gradually. Add the milk, bouquet garni and potatoes. Season well with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne.

• Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked, approximately 5-6 minutes. (The chowder may be prepared ahead to this point).

• Cut the fish into 2.5cm /1in cubes. Add to the pot as soon as the tip of a knife will go through a potato.

• Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stir in the cream and add the shellfish. Add any liquor obtained from opening the mussels or clams. When boiling, remove from the heat.

• Taste, correct the seasoning and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and chives.

• Serve in a deep dish with plenty of bread and butter.