East Coast Chowder

Passport & Plate - East Coast Chowder

Canada | Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5 photos

Ingredients
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, sliced thinly
2 celery stalks, minced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 bulb fennel, minced
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups 2 % milk
2 cups 35% whipping cream
3 bay leaves
2 large russet potatoes, cubed
2 cups large filets haddock, cut into 1/2
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked lobster meat
1 1/2 cups scallops, cut in half
dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of Tabasco sauce
fresh chives to garnish

 

How to prepare this recipe
In a large, heavy bottomed stock pot or soup pot, sweat the onions, celery,garlic, leek, fennel, salt, pepper, and dill weed in the butter until the vegetables are slightly soft and translucent.
Add the flour after about 5 minutes and stir to form a roux in the vegetables.
Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer while stirring. You should see the soup thicken slightly as the roux does its job.
Add the milk, cream, and bay leaves. Add the haddock and potatoes.
Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very soft.This should take about 25 minutes. The potatoes and haddock will help to thicken the chowder.
About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the lobster, scallops, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and fresh chives. Bring to a simmer once more and serve when the scallops are heated through.

 

The story behind this recipe
You asked for a recipe that was special. One that would transport at home chefs to a somewhere new in one bite; a recipe that makes you miss a place. For me, there is no other choice than a bowl of warm chowder. The smell alone brings you to the seaside, and if you close your eyes and take a bite, you will be transported to Atlantic Canada, home to the nicest people in the world. I was born and raised there and am now living on the west coast. When I am feeling a little homesick, there is no better antidote than a cup of chowder that will stick to your ribs.

One of the greatest things about maritime cuisine, is it follows a “little of this and a little of that” approach to cooking. There is no need to follow a strict recipe, as the kitchen is a place meant for fun and shouldn’t be dulled by rules. That is why every chowder you try will be deliciously different. This recipe keeps to my Scottish heritage and uses haddock as the star of the show opposed to clams. It is simple and hearty food, made in large batches to feed anyone that may show up at your door step. To me, this is a true representation of what it means to be a from Eastern Canada: welcoming and warm-hearted.