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Home Recipes

Sea and shellfish chowder finished with brandy and Italian parsley.


Ingredients

50g Smoked haddock, 50g Firm white fish (Pollock, haddock or cod), 50g Prawns (defrosted),50g Smoked Salmon, 50g mussel meat (can be brought frozen or cook 200g of fresh mussels to yield 50g of meat). (Reserve the cooking liquor if cooking fresh).

750ml good fish stock or equivalent made up with fish stock cubes.

2 garlic cloves crushed to a fine paste

1 blade of mace

Small bunch of fresh garden thyme or a good pinch of dried.

1 carrot cut into small dice

1 leek the white cut into small dice

2 shallots diced

2 sticks of celery diced

1 small waxy potato peeled and cut into a small dice.

1 bay leaf

200ml dry white wine

1 shot of noilly prat or dry martini

1 shot of cooking brandy

100ml double cream

50g butter

Splash of olive oil

Small bunch of Italian flat parsley, finely chopped


Method
 
  1. In a large heavy pan melt the butter and oil over a low heat add all the diced vegetables and sweat on a low heat without colour until softened.
  2. Add the garlic, mace and thyme and cook for a few minutes.
  3. Add the white wine, noilly prat and brandy and increase the heat allow to boil and reduce by half.
  4. Add the fish stock and bring to the boil 
  5. Allow to reduce and cook until the vegetables are tender and add the white fish and the haddock reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the fish for about 3 to four minutes the fish should still be intact. Try not to stir the pan when the fish is put in.
  6. Add the prawns, smoked salmon and mussel meat and allow to simmer for a minute or two.
  7. Add the double cream and the flat parsley.
  8. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  9. With a slotted spoon carefully lift out the fish and divide between 4 bowls equally. Gently pour over the remaining broth in the pan. Decorate with more chopped flat parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Any variety of fish can be used in this dish but avoid really oily fish like herring or mackerel. Ask your fish monger to remove all the bone in the fish you buy especially the pin bones that run along the fillet.
 
The chowder can be enhanced with any vegetable, fennel works very well as does a little turnip. Finishing the chowder with fresh summer peas or broad beans add a light summer feel to the dish as does  fine shredded spinach, roquette or sorrel.
 
The alcohol can be omitted or flamed when added to the pan this burns of the actual alcohol but retains the flavour. Double cream can be replaced with low fat crème fraiche or low fat sour cream whisked in at the last moment after the fish has been removed prior to serving.
 
Even with the double cream and the butter this flavour packed stew is rich in b vitamins, minerals and protein in an easily digested form. 
 
To compliment the fish chowder mark and Kay at grape passions would suggest something like a spicy white that would go down well.
Torrontes 2007 Bodega F. Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina ,  available from Grape Passions in Tiptree.

The Torrontes grape is the unique signature white wine of Argentina.  Thought to be related to the Muscat grape, the Torrontes grape makes wines which are delicately floral and spicy in style and go very well with smoked fish, seafood and Asian dishes.  There is talk of the Torrontes grape being the next “Pinot Grigio “. Bottles can be purchased from grape passions, grange road, Tiptree. Tel: 01621 892381
Last Updated on Thursday, 06 August 2009 21:35
 
Essex Food & Drink Awards 2010