re: Post your favorite soup recipe

Seafood Chowder

6 slices thick sliced bacon
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions (14 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 Tsp Thyme
1 Bay leaf
3 medium- Large Irish (red) Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
5 cups Fish Stock or Chicken Stock If using chicken stock, add I bottle clam juice to 4 cups chicken stock
salt, pepper,
2 ears Yellow corn – Remove silks, cut corn off the cob with sharp knife and set aside.
1 1/2 to 2 pounds Haddock fillets (as thick as you can find), cut into 1 inch pieces (may substitute Cod for Haddock)
1 pound Bay Scallops cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound Fresh Shrimp, Peeled
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

In a heavy pot, fry bacon until crisp. Remove the cooked bacon and drain on paper towel. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to bacon fat. Add onions, thyme and bay leaf and cook until onions are tender (but not browned). Add garlic just as onions become tender and cook for 2 minutes, then add the stock and potatoes, Cover the pot and cook until potatoes are just done. Do not overcook the potatoes. They need to be done at this point, but still have good consistency and not be “mushy” when chowder is completed.

If you like, you can remove the potatoes and add them back after fish is cooked. Add the corn now.

A little secret – don’t tell anyone. Microwave three or four pieces (less than 1/4 cup) of the potatoes for two minutes (in a covered bowl) and mash them up to a buttery creamy consistency with a little melted butter in a small bowl. Then add these to the chowder (if needed) when the corn is added. This potato starchy mixture will thicken your chowder. Thicken to your desired level. I like mine medium thick and this potato mixture (and the cream, added later) should get you there.

Reduce the heat to low, and season with salt and pepper. Be certain the chowder is salty enough, because the shrimp, scallops and fish will take up some of the salt.

You should avoid stirring the pot after the fish is added, so make certain you like the seasoning (salt and pepper level) before adding the seafood.

Remove the bay leaf and add the fish, scallops, and shrimp. Cook at a low simmer until the seafood is done. It should takes ten minutes to get the scallops done and the other seafood will be fine at that point.

In my opinion, the slower the fish cooks, the better chowder you will have. When the fish is done, add the potatoes back to the pot and slowly add the cream. Stir the pot as little as possible when adding the cream.

Turn off the heat and let the chowder sit with the lid in place for a while for the flavors to mingle. Break up bacon and set aside. Gently reheat the chowder (if needed) just before serving. Try to do this with minimal stirring to keep the haddock from breaking up.

You must have buttered crusty bread with this recipe. I like French bread, cut on a diagonal and skillet toasted with butter, until browned nicely.

Three or four captain jack pieces per serving is required, because if you don’t soak up the chowder liquid with buttered crusty bread, you aren’t eating chowder.