Happy Trails For Us: My Reluctant Blog

This was a truly luscious chowder, and due to our dash out of town for the grandbaby's arrival, I am a few days late with this. It made a wonderful supper last night, on a cold and rainy night. Thank you, Sheena & Terry, for the recipe.

Sheena suggested cutting the recipe in half, since her origianl serves 12, and it does not freeze well with the milk in it. I am going to give the proportions that I used for the half-recipe. In addition, I added a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh tarragon.

1/4 cup butter (and this is half of the half)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 chopped carrots
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (the original calls for 1/4 tsp, we like pepper)
2 lb haddock fillets cut into chunks (I used halibut)
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup flour
1 can baby clams
1/2 lb cooked small shrimp (I used raw, added them with the halibut)
1/2 lb crab (not to be found in my market, so I used bay scallops, also added with the halibut.

In a large saucepan or soup kettle, melt the butter. Add onions (I added the carrots, celery and tarragon at this point), and cook over low heat for a few minutes until soft.

Stir in stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add chunks of white fish, shrimp and scallops and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until shrimp are pink (remove a few shrimp at this stage for garnish).

(May be prepared ahead to this point and frozen; thaw and reheat before continuing to next step).
Stir enough of the milk into the flour to make a smooth paste (I used 1/2 cup of the milk and shook the milk and flour in a small jar until smooth). Gradually stir paste into the soup, then stir in remaining milk and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly (will coat a spoon). Just before serving stir in clams, and heat through.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with reserved shrimp and some chopped parsley or green onion ( I used a few sprigs of the tarragon). We had this for dinner with cheese toasts. There is plenty of soup for a few lunches for me this week.