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Epicurious
Gourmet

Shellfish Chowder

4.5

(34)

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Photo by Romulo Yanes

This easy shellfish chowder features shrimp, scallops, and lobster or crabmeat, plus a bacon garnish. The potatoes simmer with shallots in bottled clam juice to soak up savory flavor before the milk and seafood gets added. This seafood chowder takes just 20 minutes of active time to prepare.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    40 min

  • Yield

    Makes 4 main-course or 6 first-course servings

Ingredients

5 bacon slices, finely chopped
2 boiling potatoes (3/4 lb total), cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)
3/4 cup bottled clam juice
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 lb sea scallops, quartered and tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb shelled cooked lobster meat, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, or 1/2 lb lump crabmeat, picked over
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook bacon in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and stir in potatoes, shallots, and clam juice. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender and most of liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk and cayenne and return just to a simmer.

    Step 2

    Add shrimp, scallops, and salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shellfish is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in lobster and half of herbs and simmer 1 minute. Serve chowder topped with bacon and remaining herbs.

TagsChowderSoupSoup/StewNew EnglandAmericanBaconCured MeatMeatPotatoRoot VegetableVegetableShrimpShellfishSeafoodScallopLobsterMainStarterDinnerNut FreeGluten FreeSimmerGourmet

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