Seafood Chowder

The sunset comes later and later. The trees are leafing out and the songbirds birds are coming back to us. But that nighttime chill calls out for a comforting dish like our publisher Justin Matase’s delicious Seafood Chowder. Once you’ve shopped for the ingredients at one of our terrific local grocers, it’s simple to make. Serve with a fresh salad. Since there’s a pandemic on, as you’ve probably heard, we also recommend a fresh loaf of bread from your favorite local bakery.

Ingredients

1 lb Fresh cod

1 lb Scallops (jumbo or bay - your choice)

4 oz Pancetta, chopped

4 Potatoes, medium, finely chopped

1 qt Cherry tomatoes (12 to 15 tomatoes, cut in half)

3 sticks Celery, sliced thin

2 Leeks, sliced thin

2 Cloves of garlic, minced

8 oz Chopped clams in juice

2 T Tomato paste

1/4 c Fresh dill, chopped

1 T Salt

1 T Ground black pepper

1/2 c White wine

1/4 c All purpose flour

6 c Seafood stock

3 c Water 

Instructions

Begin by seasoning fish and scallops with salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, and place over high heat. When hot, add scallops and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add more oil and lightly pan fry cod fish until a light brown crust begins to appear. Stop before it begins to flake apart.

In the same pan, add pancetta. Cook for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium heat so the pancetta releases fat but doesn't become crunchy. Remove the pancetta and add to your stock pot.

Add finely chopped potatoes, with salt and pepper, to the rendered pork fat and sauté until they are light brown, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add to your stock pot.

Again, in the same pan, add celery, leeks, cherry tomatoes and garlic with some salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes release their water and you start to see a glaze on the bottom of the pan, 10-12 minutes. Add ywhite wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for 2 minutes and add to stock pot.

Finally, add clams and juice to the hot pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until your clams are no longer translucent and add to your stock pot.

With a medium flame unit the the stock pot, add seafood stock, tomato paste, 1 cup of heavy cream and fresh dill. Bring to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Whisk together flour and 3 cups of water until smooth. Add to stock pot to thicken the broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, transfer to a bowl and place your scallops and cod on top. The heat from the soup base will bring your fish back to temperature. Garnish with fresh dill and a sprinkling of sliced cherry tomatoes.

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