Seafood Chowder

5 from 9 votes

Recipe video above. This is a seafood soup so good, it's hard to believe it's made with cheap 'n cheerful marinara mix and store-bought stock. Using chicken rather than store-bought fish stock (awful stuff!), a cheeky dash of fish sauce rather than salt and bacon are some of the flavour enhancers we deploy here!

Of course, if you use homemade fish stock and a hand-picked mix of fresh seafood, it will be upmarket-restaurant-worthy. :) Also see FAQ for more vegetable options.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: corn chowder, creamy seafood soup, marinara seafood soup, seafood chowder, seafood marinara recipe, seafood soup

Servings: - 5 people

Calories: 623cal

Author: Nagi

Ingredients

650g/ 1.3lb seafood marinara mix or mixed fresh seafood - fish , squid, prawns, cooked mussel meat (Note 1)
50g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
100g/ 4oz streaky bacon , chopped into 1.5cm / 1/2" squares
2 cloves garlic , finely minced
1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (can skip)
1/3 cup flour , plain/all-purpose (Note 3 for gluten-free)
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock/broth, low sodium OR homemade fish stock (avoid store-bought fish stock) (Note 2)
2 medium carrots , peeled, cut into 7mm / 1/3" pieces (~1 1/2 cups)
2 large potatoes (any type fine), peeled, cut into 1cm / 0.2" cubes (~2 1/2 cups)
1 cup thickened cream / heavy cream (sub milk for lighter option)
1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
2 tsp fish sauce
Pinch white pepper (substitute black pepper)

SERVING

3 tbsp chives or parsley , finely chopped, for garnish
Crusty bread or better yet, garlic bread!

Cups - Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

Cook bacon in butter, remove. Sauté garlic, deglaze with white wine, make roux. Add stock, simmer potato, carrots and bacon 10 min. Add cream, corn, fish sauce, pepper, raw seafood - simmer 3 min. Stir in cooked seafood, taste for salt. Serve!

FULL RECIPE:

Marinara mix - Separate cooked seafood (usually mussels, sometimes prawns/shrimp) from raw seafood. We put them in at different times.
Cut any large pieces of fish into 2.5cm / 1" cubes.

CHOWDER:

Bacon - In a heavy-based pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the edges are light golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove into bowl, leaving fat in the pot.
Deglaze - Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds (don't let it brown). Add the wine, simmer rapidly on high for 3 minutes, scraping the base to loosen any golden bacon bits, until the wine is mostly evaporated.
Roux - Reduce heat down to medium, add the flour and mix for 1 minute ("roux").
Broth - While stirring, pour in about 1 cup of the stock and mix to dissolve the roux - it will thicken into a paste. Add the remaining stock and stir well until lump free (use a whisk if needed).
Simmer 10 minutes - Increase heat to high, bring to the boil, add the carrots, potatoes and bacon. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the carrots are just about done.
Simmer raw seafood 3 minutes - Add the cream, fish sauce, pepper, corn and raw seafood. Simmer for 3 minutes until the fish is just cooked (test - flesh should flake).
Cooked seafood - Stir in cooked seafood, taste and add more salt if needed (I don't).
Serve - Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chives. Serve with warm crusty bread for dunking!

Notes

1. Seafood mix - This recipe is designed to be easy to make using a store-bought seafood marinara mix, sold at the deli of most large grocery stores and in the freezer section. Usually contains a white fish, salmon, squid rings (calamari), prawns (sometimes cooked, sometimes raw), cooked mussels. If frozen, thaw thoroughly in a strainer set over a bowl, overnight in the fridge.

Fresh seafood mix - choose your own! Anything goes here. :)

2. Chicken stock?? Yes, chicken stock! I have very, very strong views about store bought fish stock - it's just awful. (The mass produced stuff, that is, if your fish monger sells homemade fish stock I am sure that is terrific!). Chicken stock (liquid form, not powder) makes a much nicer broth and yes, you will have lovely seafood flavour and no, it will not taste chicken-y!

3. Gluten-free option - Follow recipe but skip the flour step. Mix 2.5 tbsp each cornflour/cornstarch and water, then mix into cream, proceed with recipe as written.

Leftovers - 3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer (thaw overnight in the fridge then gently reheat on the stove). Also a really good one to make ahead and gently reheat to serve later in the day (just be careful not to overcook the seafood when reheating, so use low heat and minimum reheating time!)

Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition