Sallys Seafood Chowder

THICK AND CREAMY SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook the vegetables: Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed, large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and cook, stirring for 8-10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Add enough water to the pot to just cover the vegetables with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but not too soft, about 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of the dice). Remove from heat.
• Poaching Liquid: In a second pot, heat the 4 cups of water with a bay leaf and the 1/4 onion until just before boiling. Maintain temperature just below boiling and add the sole and scallops. Cover and cook just until seafood is opaque and tender. Remove fish and and scallops to a bowl with a slotted spoon or strainer, reserving the poaching liquid for your stock. Discard the bay leaf and quartered onion.
• Soup: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring to make a smooth paste. Cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved poaching liquid until you have a smooth mixture. Cook until it begins to thicken. Return the pot with the potatoes to medium heat. Slowly add the the butter/flour/poaching liquid mixture to the pot with the potatoes. Add the fish and scallops. Continue cooking and stirring until chowder thickens. Add the cream and stir until heated through, but do not boil. Season with a pinch of nutmeg and a generous amount of salt and black pepper, to taste.

MOM'S NOVA SCOTIA SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Fill a large pot halfway with lightly salted water; bring to a boil. Add onions and carrots; cook until slightly tender, 10 minutes. Add potatoes; cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in salmon, cod, scallops, shrimp, lobster, and crab; cook over medium heat until salmon and cod are firm but chunks are still slightly translucent in the center, about 10 minutes. Drain half the water from the pot and add clams, heavy cream, and half-and-half. Place butter chunks atop the soup; season with salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until salmon and cod are fully cooked and flake easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.

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.

SALLY'S SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• Fry bacon until crisp, set aside and reserve drippings.
• Cook onion and celery in drippings until translucent.
• Add butter, potatoes, carrots, 2 cups boiling water, salt, pepper and Old Bay.
• Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Add fish and scallops; add more water if needed,.
• Cook 10 more minutes.
• Add milk and Tabasco.
• Reheat, but do not boil.
• Garnish with bacon crumbles.