Creamy Seafood Chowder

Chock full of shrimp, salmon, and crab meat, the chowder is a meal. Maybe pair with a small chopped salad and a slice of sourdough garlic bread, and you’re set! Well, perhaps a cold glass of Chardonnay as well will do.

I pre-baked the salmon. But the shrimp cooks in the seafood stock, not for very long though. I used lump crab meat, but King crab would be nicer.

The fish and clam stock I use is Better Than Bouillion brand. The low-sodium chicken and beef stocks are good as well.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of salt pork, minced

• 1/2 cup of white onions, minced

• 1/2 cup of celery, minced

• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

• 1 cup of fish stock

• 1 cup of clam stock

• 1/2 cup of dry sherry

• 1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, 1/2 inch dice

• 5 ounces of large shrimp, peeled, deveined, each cut in half

• 5 ounces of crab meat, lump or King crab

• 5 ounces of salmon, cooked, 1 inch chunks

• 2 cups of half and half

• 1 tsp of granulated garlic

• 1 tsp of herbes de Provence

• 1 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup flour

• 2 tbsp of chopped parsley

• 2 thick slices of bacon, cooked crisp, chopped

Directions:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced salt pork and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add the minced onions and minced celery and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent Season with white pepper.

• Add the fish stock, the clam stock, the sherry, the herbes de Provence, and the diced potatoes. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until the diced potatoes are slightly tender.

• Add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked salmon chunks, and the crab meat. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

• Make a roux with 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup flour, let it cook about 3 minutes. With the chowder simmering, slowly stir in the roux and cook until thickened, stirring. Add the granulated garlic, stir. Season with ground white pepper. Salt may not be necessary as the salt pork may be salty enough. Cook for another 5 minutes on low. Taste. Reseason if necessary.

• Serve in a soup bowl. Garnish with the chopped bacon and chopped parsley.