The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Kruse's Paint Creek Tavern›Charley's Chowder & Recipe

Charley's Chowder & Recipe

Name: Kruse's Paint Creek Taverns Charley's Chowder & Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced; 1 cup fennel bulb, trimmed and finely diced (reserve fronds); 4 tsp garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced; 1 cup celery stalks, diced; 1 to taste hunters or small hot cherry peppers (optional), seeded and sliced; 3 tbs dry white wine; 2 tbs tomato paste; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 4 cups fish stock or low-sodium chicken stock; 1 cup water; 2 cups Yukon Gold or waxy potatoes, peeled and 3/4" diced; 1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 450 g firm white fish (cod, halibut or haddock), cut into 1" pieces; 225 g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined; 300 g mussels or clams, scrubbed and debearded (optional); 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved; 2 tsp small capers, rinsed; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 cups heavy cream or half-and-half (optional for a creamier chowder); 2 tbs fresh lemon juice; 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 2 tbs reserved fennel fronds, chopped; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Inspired by Kruse's Paint Creek Tavern

Time1h

Serves4

Mediterranean style fish chowder

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Base & Aromatics

3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbs Unsalted butter

1 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 cup fennel bulb, trimmed and finely diced (reserve fronds)

4 tsp Garlic cloves, minced

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup celery stalks, diced

1 to taste hunters or small hot cherry peppers (optional), seeded and sliced

Liquids & Tomatoes

3 tbs dry white wine

2 tbs tomato paste

14 1/8 oz (400 g) canned crushed tomatoes

4 cups fish stock or low-sodium chicken stock

1 cup water

Potatoes & Beans

2 cups Yukon Gold or waxy potatoes, peeled and 3/4" diced

1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Seafood

15 7/8 oz (450 g) firm white fish (cod, halibut or haddock), cut into 1" pieces

7.94 oz (225 g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

10.6 oz (300 g) mussels or clams, scrubbed and debearded (optional)

Mediterranean Flavorings

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

2 tsp small capers, rinsed

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp Red pepper flakes

Finishing & Garnish

1 cups heavy cream or half-and-half (optional for a creamier chowder)

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 tbs reserved fennel fronds, chopped

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Base & Aromatics

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter melts. Add the diced onion, fennel, carrots and celery. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.

Add garlic & optional heat

Stir in the minced garlic and sliced hot pepper (if using) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Liquids & Tomatoes

Deglaze & build flavor

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to develop flavor.

Add tomatoes & stock

Add the crushed tomatoes, fish stock (or chicken stock) and water. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Potatoes & Beans

Simmer potatoes

Add the diced potatoes and rinsed cannellini beans to the simmering broth. Add the dried oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and capers. Simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 12–15 minutes.

Seafood

Cook shellfish (if using)

If using mussels or clams, add them first, cover the pot, and steam until shells open, about 5–7 minutes. Remove any that remain closed. Transfer opened shellfish to a bowl and set aside; leave any liquid in the pot.

Add fish & shrimp

Gently add the firm white fish pieces and shrimp to the simmering chowder. Cook gently until the fish is opaque and flakes easily and the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4–6 minutes. If you reserved mussels/clams, return them to the pot now.

Mediterranean Flavorings

Add olives & adjust seasoning

Stir in the halved Kalamata olives and taste for seasoning. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed, remembering that olives and capers add brininess.

Finishing & Garnish

Cream & acid

Lower heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half, if using, and warm gently without boiling for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley and reserved fennel fronds.

Serve

Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls, garnish with additional parsley and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread or grilled sourdough.