Ratatouille Seafood Chowder

RATATOUILLE SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• To form a soupier poaching liquid, gently reheat ratatouille with fennel seeds, and tomato juice or fish stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and gently poach seafood until done. Adjust seasoning and add fresh parsley. Spoon into deep dishes and serve with warm crusty French bread with which to sop up the juices.
• Heat olive oil in a large heavy enamellined casserole. Add peppers and onions and saute for a minute to get them cooking. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer very gently until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Don't let olive oil get too hot or you will change the flavor. While these are cooking, cut eggplant into 3/4inch chunks. When peppers and onions are tender, add the garlic, eggplant, tomatoes and thyme and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• While this is cooking cut zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending on how thick they are. Remove seeds with a spoon, then cut into 3/4 inch lengths. After 30 minutes of stewing eggplant, add zucchini and squash to stew, cover and simmer, over very low heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes ( you can simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes for more meltingly tender vegetables). Strain the stew through a sieve and return juices back to casserole. Reduce the juices over medium heat until they begin to sizzle in the olive oil. Return this to the stew, season well to taste with salt and pepper. Divide ratatouille into two portions to proceed.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large heavy kettle over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until fat is rendered. Add onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring continually, until vegetables are coated with fat and give off liquid, about 30 minutes. Stir in herbs and chipotle with at least 1 teaspoon of its sauce. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes.
• Raise heat and add 2 cups cream. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Add stock. Lower heat to medium, and cover pot. Cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season again. Add remaining cream and more adobo if desired. Cook 15 minutes.
• Lower heat, and add all fish and shellfish. Cook just until seafood is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in scallions and serve.

BEST SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels; reserve drippings. Saute onions in drippings until tender. Add potatoes and water; bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes., Add the scallops, lobster, shrimp, cod and haddock. Cook for 10 minutes or until scallops are opaque, shrimp turn pink and fish flakes easily with a fork. Add the butter, salt, parsley and curry powder. Stir in milk and evaporated milk; heat through. Garnish with bacon, additional parsley, and oyster crackers, if desired.

DANIELLE'S SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat; stir in onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk flour into butter mixture; whisk in half-and-half and juice from drained clams.
• Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into onion mixture until melted, about 2 minutes; stir in potatoes, cream-style corn, corn kernels, and cherry tomatoes. If soup is very thick, stir in water, about 1/2 cup at a time, as desired; bring soup to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.
• Stir drained clams, haddock, and shrimp into soup; simmer until haddock and shrimp are fully cooked for 5 minutes. Stir in lobster and its juice; cook just until heated through.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned. Add the butter and onions, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir until well combined. Add 2 to 3 cups broth. Then add the potatoes, thyme, pepper, and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are almost fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add the clams, haddock, shrimp, scallops, and oysters and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the half-and-half and heat through (do not bring to a boil or the chowder will curdle). When finished add parsley and serve.