Saturday, April 6, 2013

Fisherman's Chowder En Croute





I once had a recipe for a great seafood chowder but can’t find it anywhere – does that ever happen to you? It was from a cooking show I loved to watch in the early ‘80s called “What’s Cooking”.  This is the closest thing to that elusive recipe that I could come up with:

½  sweet Onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
3-4 Tbsp. butter
In a soup pot sauté onions and garlic in butter till just tender and translucent.
Add:
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup White wine
1-2 Stalks celery – chopped
1-2 large carrots – diced
1-2 potatoes – diced
½ Red pepper – diced
1-2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Slowly cook till vegetables are tender and stock is slightly reduced
In a separate frying pan poach seafood gently in a bit of chicken broth
I like to use:
1 fillet cod – cut into bite sized pieces
1 fillet salmon – cut into bite sized pieces
1 Cup sea scallops
1 Cup salad shrimp
or
Any combination of sea food you enjoy (approx. 4 Cups)
Once poached - use a slotted spoon to remove and add to the vegetables and stock.  Reduce the poaching stock in frying pan and add to soup.
Thicken the soup with ¼ Cup water and 2 Tbsp. flour if needed or thin with extra chicken stock.
Lower the heat and add a good splash of whipping cream – stirring till warmed through – do not boil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and serve immediately or chill if serving en croute.  Can be made a day in advance.

En Croute (this is how we like it the best):
Preheat oven to 400F
Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.  Roll out dough and cut to 1” larger than each soup bowl, keeping everything as cold as possible.  Divide cold soup between 4 oven safe bowls.  Place bowls onto a baking tray.  Brush underside edges of each pastry with an egg wash and place over filled soup bowl – sealing pastry to sides of bowl.  Brush top of pastries with remaining egg wash and put into hot oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes till pastry puffs and bakes to a golden brown.






This was the perfect soup for a cold April Saturday evening.....



Till next time ....... still hoping for Spring!



14 comments:

  1. Oh my, but that looks wonderful! I'd never have thought of puff pastry, but it looks delicious and I'll bet it is the perfect, flaky topping.

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  2. What a gorgeous, elegant chowder!!! LOVE this, Rosella!

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  3. I got this recipe from you many years ago and can still find it(I think!) I will forward to you. You are almost dead on with your improvisation.
    Glennis

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  4. That's a work of art. The kind of art I really appreciate. :)
    Hooray for Glennis!

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  5. My brother in my opinion makes Theee best seafood chowder in the world, but I sure would think this would give it his a run for his money. This looks fantastic!

    Just a bit curious though, on your March 14th post is one of the gals in your picture named Melanie from Winnipeg? If so what a small world...say hi to her if she remembers me.

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    1. Dear Charolotte - this is indeed Melanie from Winnipeg! She is a grad student where I work. I haven't really gotten to know her but she often joins us for coffee breaks and such - I will certainly say hello to her for you! Small world it is!

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  6. That looks totally delicious. John would be over the moon with such a meal.

    Wonderful header photo...is the season winding to a close? It's been so cold here that the sap stopped running. As its warmed a bit, I hope that they'll find sap in the buckets today.

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  7. Well that's a new one for this maritimer! And it looks delicious! My husband (an avid woodsman) loves your blog banner!

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  8. I think a hot pie crust with chicken filling sounds like the perfect dish for a cold rainy evening like today. I may have to go buy something similar. Not enough energy left to cook one!

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  9. I'm heading your way! Save some for me:) Thanks for sharing....and I love your header page....Scot and I would love to see that Maple syrup production.

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    1. I'm saving some for you!!! And, all the maple surple you can eat - anytime my friend! Head that Jetta East....

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  10. This looks so delicious..I can't wait to get started...make my grocery list and a way I go...it's been so cool out here and what better way than to make some home made soup.

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