Seafood Chowder with Jersey Mussels, Smoked Haddock, and Prawns. As with so many dishes, I think everyone has their favourite version of a chowder. I certainly do, and I have been very, very fortunate to have eaten my fair share of chowders. My favourite is creamy New England Chowder, with clams and potatoes. Not really a surprise given my love of cooking with cream. The Manhattan Chowder is a rich tomato-based soup, or you can try Bacon and Corn Chowder with Biscuits. The addition of crushed salted biscuit ( a cheese cracker or water biscuit ) is a traditional chowder garnish. It is a reference to early chowder recipes thickened with Ship’s Biscuits.
As there is no single definitive recipe my chowder uses some of my favourite ingredients. The best products available to anyone cooking in Jersey are seafood, butter, milk, and cream. In addition, there are a couple of more unlikely ingredients, like smoked haddock. They won’t be in your chowder if you find yourself in New England, but they add great flavour.
Make your Chowder a Champion
If you are not so fortunate as I, living in Jersey with wonderful seafood almost washing up on my doorstep. You can buy some quality, natural smoked haddock, freshly cooked prawns, and some plump tasty mussels from a reputable fishmonger. These will make an excellent chowder. You don’t have to stop there if you find them; add a can of clams. If you want a few spoons of white crab meat added just before you serve and you have a really indulgent chowder.
What to drink with Chowder
Creamy Chowders with Sweetcorn need something to lift the palate. They pair well with dry, German-style Riesling wines or hoppy Continental-style Pilsner lagers and IPA beers.
If you like mussels like me, then why not try my recipe for Mussels with Cider and Bacon, a traditional dish from Normandy in France, or steamed with aniseed-flavoured Pastis. For something a little different, why not try Mussels with Garlic, Chilli, Caraway Seeds, and Beer?
My Seafood Chowder with Jersey Mussels, Smoked Haddock, and Prawns
I have used this recipe in several professional kitchens and can assure you it will be a success. I used to have customers phone up to see if it was being served. Many chefs have a signature dish that can be something elaborate or simple, an entree or dessert, a multiple-ingredient masterpiece, or a startlingly simple supper. I am beginning to think that this chowder recipe is perhaps mine. That is no bad thing. Enjoy.
Seafood Chowder with Jersey Mussels, Smoked Haddock, and Prawns
Ingredients
For the Chowder
- 1 White Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 large Carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 Leeks washed and finely diced
- 2 sticks Celery washed and finely diced
- 2 heads of Fennel finely diced
- 1 clove Garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 pints quality Fish stock
- 500 g firm waxy Potatoes washed, peeled and diced
- 2 large pieces of natural smoked Haddock skinned
- 100 gr / 1 small tin cooked Sweetcorn Nibs
- A good pinch of freshly ground white Pepper
- Bouquet garni
- 1 Lemon
- 50 gr unsalted Jersey Butter
- 50 gr Plain Flour
- 50 ml Vermouth
- 250 ml Jersey Double Cream
- 250 ml Full Fat Jersey Milk
To Finish
- 125 gr Cocktail Prawns cooked and peeled
- 500-750 gr Mussels washed and scrubbed
- Salted crackers and freshly chopped parsley
Equipment
- A large heavy-bottomed pan
- Ladle for serving
Instructions
- Place all of the vegetables excluding the potatoes into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Sauté in the butter, without colouring until soft, add garlic and flour and cook for a further two minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan heat the fish stock. Slowly pour into the vegetables, stirring continuously, and bring to the boil.
- Prepare the haddock by removing the skin and any bones and cutting into a large dice. Add diced smoked haddock, ground pepper, bouquet garni tied with string and chunky diced potatoes to pan and simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
- Stir regularly to prevent the chowder from sticking to the pan. Finish with milk and cream, and the juice of one lemon. Remove bouquet garni. Correct seasoning ( the soup is likely to be sufficiently salted because of the smoked haddock ).
- In a little water steam the mussels for two to three minutes until open, remove and cool. Strain out the cooking liquor and add to chowder. You can shell the mussels in you prefer them that way.
- To serve reheat with cocktail prawns and mussels, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes to totally reheat the seafood, stirring to prevent the chowder from sticking to the pan.
- Ladle carefully into a bowl and top with broken salted crackers and chopped parsley.
Notes
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