Seafood Chowder

December 28, 2016

Kory Cheshier

You can use almost any combination of seafood in this warming chowder by Nashvillians and Alsakan fishermen, Cathy and Mike Stoltz.

Ingredients

5 bacon slices or country ham or pancetta

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced

2 large shallots or onions

1 tablespoon flour

1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice

3 cups whole milk

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 pounds seafood (any combination of raw scallops, crabmeat or salmon) fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in large saucepan until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon, reserve drippings in skillet. Add potatoes, shallots and flour to drippings and sauté 5 minutes. Add clam juice and simmer until potatoes are tender.

2. Add milk, cayenne, and salt and return to a simmer. Add seafood and cook just until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Stir in crabmeat and parsley and heat through. Serve with bacon on top and oyster crackers.

Sign up for Virgin Bay Seafood’s CSA at virginbayseafood.com. Their dock-to-door CSA delivers 10–12 pounds of salmon, scallops, crab and halibut four times a year in Nashville for $200 per delivery.