From the Kitchen – Seafood Chowder

Even though it’s been lovely outside, warm comforting foods are always good to have.  This is for my husband’s seafood chowder.  I love various chowders but this tops them all and I’ve had chowder a lot of places, even up in the New England states.  Last time we made it, the two of us ate all 6 quarts in less than a week.  Ah well, it was good.  This is rich and expensive as chowders go. As always follow the directions, they are there for a reason. 

Seafood Chowder

1 small can crabmeat (not surimi/krab!) ( pick over to remove any shell and reserve liquid)

2 pounds white-fleshed fish, like cod, flounder, perch, catfish, etc.

1/2 pound sea scallops

2 small cans chopped clams (“small can”  in this recipe means flat tuna type can. Reserve liquid)

1 small can minced clams (reserve liquid)

1 large can baby clams (not quite as big as a soup can. Reserve liquid)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2″ – 1″ (preferably Russets, but use what you like)

4 medium onions, peeled and diced

2″ cube of salt pork (not bacon! Yes, in this instance, bacon is *bad*. Use it and you’ll simply have bacon chowder which isn’t the point. You can usually find this in the meat department around the bacon or hams.)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter (yes, 2 sticks.  Do not use anything else!)

3/4 cup flour

4 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream (yes, this too.)

Dice salt pork.  In a large skillet, cook it slowly to render out the fat and get it crispy. Add onions and cook until translucent.   Add drained seafood and 1 stick of butter.  Heat, make sure butter is melted.  Sift flour over seafood/butter/salt pork mixture, mix in well.  This is what thickens things. Let cook a couple of minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Add reserved liquid from seafood.  Heat to thicken.

In large pot (think stewpot, usually biggest in a set of pots which will barely work or something bigger.  6 QUARTS remember!), put milk, cream and potatoes and remaining stick of butter.   Cook potatoes until able to be pierced by a fork.

Add seafood mixture.  Heat through until thickened. Wonderful immediately and even better after a day or two.  I would not recommend trying this in a crockpot type vessel.  It simple overwhelms it.  You could use a slow cooker to keep it warm for a party.