This creamy soup will warm your cockles!
Ingredients
- for the clam and mussel stock:
- 1 shallot
- 200 g fresh mussels
- 200 g fresh clams
- 150 ml white wine
- 150 ml water
- bay leaf
- 1 small bunch of thyme
- for the chowder:
- 400 ml clam and mussel stock
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 onion (diced)
- 5 celery sticks (diced)
- 2 potatoes (diced)
- 1 carrot (diced)
- 400 g cubed fish (a firm fish like salmon or monkfish is best)
- the clams and mussels (removed from the shells)
- 100 ml cream
- 100 g butter
- 100 g plain flour
- salt and pepper
- chopped thyme
- chopped parsley
- 100 ml olive oil
- 1 squeeze lemon
Method
- Clam and Mussel Stock
- Begin by washing the clams and mussels well in cold running water.
- In a hot pot, pour in the wine, allow to boil for 2 minutes to get rid of the alcohol.
- Add the shallots, thyme, bay leaf and water.
- Bring the liquid back to a rapid boil and add the clams and mussels.
- Cover the pot and continue to boil until the shellfish are all open, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat immediately and strain the liquid into a container or bowl.
- Before adding this stock to your chowder it’s a good idea to pour it through a fine sieve or cloth.
- Allow the shellfish to cool a little before removing them from the shells, discard any that are unopened.
- Set the meat aside to add to your chowder later.
- Chowder
- In a large pot melt the butter over a moderate heat.
- Add the chopped thyme, onions, celery and carrot and season.
- Turn these vegetables over for a few minutes.
- Now reduce the heat under the pot and add the flour.
- Cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, turning all the time ensuring that the flour has soaked up all the butter.
- Now add both stocks and continue stirring all the time.
- Bring this to a simmer stirring all the time to avoid lumps.
- Now add the potatoes and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
- Now add the cream, which is optional and a little squeeze of lemon, just to taste before adding the diced fish and the mussel and clam meat you set aside earlier. Simmer for a further 2-3 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley.
