A delicious chowder full of goodness from Martin Shanahan.
Ingredients
For the Red Chowder:
- 2 l prawn head stock
- 1 tblsp dried tarragon
- 1 tblsp ground coriander
- 375 g mixed fish (diced)
- 170 ml cream
- 2 tblsp veg oil
- 25 g plain flour
- 1 clove of minced or chopped garlic
For the Prawn Stock:
- 400 g prawn heads
- 1 onions (chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (chopped)
- 0.5 cup tomato puree
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 2 tblsp veg oil
Method
For the Prawn Stock:
- Place the oils into the pan and heat. Gently sweat off the chopped onion and carrot.
- Add the prawn heads, leave for about a minute without moving and then squash with a spoon to get the flavour out of the heads
- Add the tomato puree and water, then the salt and two or three turns of pepper.
- Bring to boil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Strain through a sieve.
For the Red Chowder:
- Put the prawn stock into a pot.
- Add the coriander and then the dried tarragon. Make sure you break up the tarragon to get maximum flavour. Then add the garlic.
- Place the flour in a small bowl and add enough veg oil to turn the flour to a paste. This makes a 'roux' which is used to thicken the soup.
- Add a tablespoon of the roux to the stock mixture and stir for about five minutes, if you don't it will sink to the bottom of the pot and burn.
- Next take add your fish and stir gently. Stirring vigorously will break up the chunks of fish.
- Once they have been stirred add the pouring cream to your own taste or diet. It's a luxury but the fish will benefit from a touch at least a little cream.
- Serve in a bowl and add a tipple of cream for effect.
Martin's Tip:
I don't like using smoked fish in this recipe as the taste takes over so try salmon, a white fish like white Pollock, cod or haddock and maybe a prawn or two.
