Entree: Canada – British Columbia Coast – Seafood Chowder (Creamy stew of Pacific seafood, potatoes, and aromatics)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 leek (white and pale green only), cleaned and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp (23 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 ml) fish stock or low-sodium seafood broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 8 oz (225 g) salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 8 oz (225 g) shelled shrimp, medium, peeled and deveined
- 6 oz (170 g) sea scallops, halved if large
- 6 oz (170 g) cooked crab meat, picked over for shells
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried thyme or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh chopped chives
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
Instructions
1. Melt 2 tbsp butter with the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and leek and cook gently until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp butter and sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes to make a light roux.
3. Slowly whisk in the fish stock until smooth, then add milk and cream. Add the diced potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low. Add the salmon, shrimp, scallops, and crab meat to the pot and simmer gently until the seafood is just cooked through, 4–6 minutes (do not boil). Stir in lemon juice and chopped herbs.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread.
