In Search of the Perfect Seafood Chowder

If you are from the Maritimes, seafood chowder is a very personal thing. You probably like it best the way your mom made it. Some like it brothy, while others like it creamy. Some like it with a biscuit, and others with a homemade roll. Bacon, potatoes, carrots, clams, lobster, white fish, shrimp, scallops are all possible ingredients. I am from Ontario. My mom never made seafood chowder. Therefore I have no history of this delicious treat to influence my taste buds.

While all of the above ingredients are fine with me, I have to admit that my favorite chowder is one that is chock full of sea food ...... the expensive stuff, like lobster, scallops or shrimp .... and definitely NO potatoes! Just put all that fruit de la mer in a thick, creamy base and I am happy. One of Paula Deen's cheesy garlic biscuits would be nice as well, but a bun would be fine too as long as it's fresh.

This summer I enjoyed bowls of chowder from two different restaurants, both claiming to be "the best" or "world famous". One was even featured on a popular TV show! I loved both chowders, one being served at a restaurant on Cape Breton Island (Charlene's in Whycocomagh) and the other at our local St. Martin's by the sea ( The Caves Restaurant, about 40 min. from my house) .... an establishment that is actually right on the ocean!

Picture taken from just outside The Caves Restaurant at St. Martin's NB.

A cup of chowder and biscuit from the Caves Restaurant in St. Martin's

The "TV worthy" bowl of chowder from Charlene's in Whycocomagh, NS.

So here's the verdict ...... my verdict, keep in mind my preference for thick, creamy and expensive!
I preferred the chowder at the Caves Restaurant because it was thick and delicious with a good amount of seafood and only a few potatoes. The chowder at Charlene's definitely won out in the seafood department ... there was lots of it and NO potatoes! However, although the flavour was good, I would have preferred it to be more thick and creamy. So there you have it!

..... now my quest is to find or create "MY" best chowder recipe.

After some research, I gave it a try and here is what I came up with;

Lynn's Creamy Seafood Chowder 

Ingredients: (for two)

• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 tsp sea salt (start with less then increase if needed)
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• finely chopped onion, celery, garlic (about a tbsp. of each ... a bit less of the garlic)
• whipping cream (about 1/2 cup), milk 
• enough of your favourite seafood to fill two soup bowls

How to Make it:

1. Melt the butter in a good sized sauce pan and then add onion, garlic, celery.
2. Then add the seafood and saute until done (it just takes a few minutes to cook small chunks of white fish, shrimp, scallops etc.) Lobster would likely be already cooked so you can add it at the end of the sautéing just to give the butter a little flavour.
3. Remove the seafood while you create the sauce/broth
4. Add the flour to the butter that is left in the pan to make a roux (add a bit more butter if necessary)
5. Slowly add chicken broth to the roux, whisking to remove lumps. Continue by adding milk, cream, salt and Old Bay seasoning until you have a desired consistency.
6. Add the seafood back in and simmer for a few minutes.

I made this once with inexpensive white fish and some shrimp we had in the freezer. Except for using a bit too much salt I was happy with the result and will risk making it again with the good stuff.

Disclaimer!

Keep in mind that I am, by no means, a "chef " ....... OR a particularly good cook. I make a pretty decent pie crust and great Yorkshire pudding, but that's about it. So use this recipe with a grain of salt .... but not too much!