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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Something Fishy

I am back among the living, having come out of the weeds and the zombie state of an imminent deadline.  After a weekend spent celebrating the baby's twenty-first birthday, I have now settled back into my usual routine.



It is still winter here, despite the occasional robin sighting, so last night I decided on a warming meal of seafood chowder.  I had eaten clam chowder lots of times, but didn't discover seafood chowder until a trip to Ireland in 2009.  Our daughter went to the University of Limerick for a semester, and she and I spent about ten days driving along the west coast of Ireland before school started.  Being cheap, I soon learned that a bowl of chowder, served with that wonderful Irish brown bread, made a fabulous, inexpensive meal.  It was available almost everywhere, and I never had a bad bowl.





I recently watched Ina Garten make seafood chowder on Food Network, so when I saw wild-caught shrimp at the grocery store, I decided to try it.  I followed her recipe as closely as I could, only substituting cod for monkfish, which was not available.  This is a hearty, fishy soup, loaded with fish, shrimp, scallops, and crab meat.


A pound of shrimp, half pound of scallops, a little more
than a half pound of cod, and  six ounces of crab meat

There are vegetables, too: carrots, potatoes, celery, corn, and onion, but seafood is definitely the star of this chowder. The husband actually said he would like more potatoes, and I think I agree with him.

The vegetables simmering before the stock and seafood are added.

I would also add more flavoring I think.  Some recipe reviewers said they added a touch of cayenne.  That might help.  It was very good overall, but a little mild.  The stock was flavored with thyme, onion, and garlic, but it just needed more ooomph.  Maybe I didn't add enough salt and pepper.  For the recipe, you can click the Food Network link, here.



23 comments:

  1. I like mild so it looks pretty amazing to me. I bet your house smelled delicious.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  2. It looks good - but I have to admit I am not a fish person. sandie

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  3. This looks so yummy. Love soup that has crab meat. Yum!

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  4. HI There, The Seafood Chowder looks delicious. We love fish (as long as it is not too fishy-tasting) ---so I'm sure we'd love that hearty chowder. Thanks for the recipe.

    Happy Belated Birthday to your BABY. My baby will be 42 in May.... Yipes.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  5. That looks so good! I love seafood, so I might have to try that someday - I make homemade clam chowder, I could just add more seafood to my own recipe. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. The Chowder looks so good....thanks for post and the link to the recipe.

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  7. This looks SO good. I am still in the mood for soup since it's still so cold here. I have to try this. Don't you love when you visit a place and come home wanting to keep a part of it?

    XO,
    Jane

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  8. I love homemade soups and chowders and could easily eat a bowl full every day during the winter months. This looks delish.

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  9. LOL I just emailed you to ask how the editing's coming along...

    That looks delish! I'm trying new recipes, and I'm so proud of myself, LOL!

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  10. Oh- My Hero would love this- I don't do fish but everyone else in the family does! xo Diana

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  11. This looks delicious and I do love Ina! I'd trust anything she makes.

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  12. We never seem to have ant seafood (except when I have fish and chips at the seaside) as hubby really doesn't like it, I'm rather fond of fish pie myself :) xx

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  13. love seafood chowder and you're right about a cuppa chowder and brown bread. when we visited Youghal on one of our trips, we stayed at Aherns. They had the BEST chowder........chock full of fresh off the boat goodness....salmon...cod...scallops...shrimp.........We were both sick and it nearly cured the two of us as soon as we were done with it.

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  14. Your pictures are almost enough to make me like seafood...I just don't. So sad, isn't it? Hope the work project is going well. ~Lisa

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  15. So nice to have you back. This looks and sounds delicious.
    Hugs,
    Laura

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  16. Welcome back! I hope that the birthday celebrations went well. The seafood looks delicious and hearty. What a wonderful alternative for the usual winter soups and stews rotation.

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  17. I'm glad you found your way out of the weeds! My family would love this. They are big fish chowder fans. I make a variation where whipping cream is added at the end. Thanks for sharing yours!

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  18. Looks delicious although I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to eating scallops etc!! Xx

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  19. That looks delicious!

    We've been eating a lot of smoked fish here ... someone sent me a parcel from a fish smokery as a thank you ... smoked cods roe made into a sauce with butter, cream and paprika and eaten with spaghetti and green salad tonight ... yum!

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  20. This does look good, however, I'm allergic to shellfish so won't be trying it out.
    Mary Alice

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  21. Yummy! My mum cooks a similar one.

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  22. My husband would adore this hearty meal!

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  23. I love a seafood chowder - and it would be all the better in Ireland! Someday... :-)

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