Seafood Chowder Recipe

sweat vegetables

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter foams. Add diced onion, celery, carrot, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

make roux

Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste; this will slightly darken and form a light paste (roux).

deglaze

Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

add liquids & aromatics

Stir in the stock, water, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, whole peppercorns and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Add the diced potatoes. Increase heat to bring to a gentle simmer.

simmer potatoes

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 12–15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

adjust texture

Once potatoes are tender, remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. For a thicker chowder, remove about 1.5 cups of the potato and vegetable mixture and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher, then return mashed portion to the pot and stir to incorporate. This will thicken the broth naturally.

add dairy

Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in the milk and heavy cream and the final 1 tablespoon butter. Heat gently—do not boil—until the chowder is warmed through and slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes.

prepare shellfish

If using clams or mussels, increase heat to medium-high and add them to the simmering chowder. Cover and cook until their shells open, about 4–6 minutes. Remove any that remain closed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer opened shellfish to a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid in the pot. If you used mussels or clams, chop large ones and discard shells before returning meat to the pot at the end.

cook fish & shrimp & scallops

Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Add white fish pieces to the pot and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes. Add shrimp and bay scallops and simmer until shrimp are pink and opaque and scallops are cooked through, about 2–3 minutes more. Do not overcook—seafood should be just done. Taste a small piece to confirm doneness.

finish seafood

Stir in chopped parsley, chives and lemon juice. Season with smoked paprika, crushed red pepper (if using), freshly ground black pepper and additional kosher salt to taste. If reserved shellfish meat was set aside, stir it back in now.

Ladle chowder into warmed bowls. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley and chives and a light dusting of smoked paprika. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers on the side.

Leftovers: cool to room temperature, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen the chowder.