Cheers for chowder.
Clam chowder, the thick and comforting seafood soup, is a staple dish of New Englanders. Bursting with flavors and textures of shellfish, bacon and potatoes, it’s sometimes served in a hollowed-out bread roll or with croutons, and has myriad variations.
Thought to be named after the cauldron it was cooked in, chowder provided hearty fare for sailors in the 1800s: it was even written about in Moby Dick.
Cunard’s version of Alaskan fish chowder is served on Queen Elizabeth each year as she visits the glaciers and bays of Alaska. Try it yourself at home with the recipe below.
Ingredients.
- 1/2cup (100g) plain flour.
- 1/4cup (50g) butter.
- 2oz (55g) celery, diced.
- 2oz (55g) white onion, diced.
- 4.2oz (120g) potatoes, diced.
- 2 tbsp corn kernels.
- 8.1oz (230g) smoked haddock, skinless, cut into 2” cubes.
- 8 number scallops, cleaned.
- 8.1oz (230g) salmon, cut into 1” cubes.
- 10 king prawns, deveined.
- 8.1oz (230g) mussels, cleaned and beards removed.
- 1/4cup (60ml) Chardonnay, or good dry white wine.
- 2cups (500ml) double cream.
Method.
1. To make the chowder base, in a large heavy-based pan, sauté the celery and onion in butter until translucent.
2. Stir in the diced potatoes, sweetcorn and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour, then the fish stock and white wine. Bring to the boil and cook for a further 2 minutes until the potatoes are nearly cooked.
3. Add the double cream and bring to the boil.
4. Add the firm fish, followed by the scallops and shrimps and then mussels. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mussel shells have opened. Taste and add salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
5. To serve the chowder either divide into bowls and serve with slices of thick crusty bread, or using individual cottage loaves hollow out the inside and fill with the chowder. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Shared with the permission of Cunard.
There’s a whole world in Alaska to be enjoyed. Click here to view sailings to the Last Frontier. Call me to find out the latest offers.
Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before travelling. OnantaForbes.com does not endorse travelling against government advisories.
