Seafood Chowder

Makes 3 quarts

I found this in Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Parties! Cookbook. I make it all the time with fresh, local seafood. Great with a fresh salad.

ingredients

Seafood Stock:
2 TBSP good olive oil
Shells from one pound of large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3 stalks of chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 cup good white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 TBSP kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems
Chowder:
1 lb. large shrimp (32 to 36 count); peeled and deveined; save shells for stock (see above).
1/2 lb scallops
1/2 lb monkfish (cod will do also)
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1 c peeled and med.-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1/2 c medium-sliced yellow onion (1 onion)
1 cup medium-sliced celery (3 stalks)
1/2 corn kernels, fresh or frozen
14 c all-purpose flour
1 recipe seafood stock (recipe follows)
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 TBSP heavy cream (optional)
2 TBSP minced parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1
Seafood Stock:
2
Warm the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery and saute for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more mintues. Add 1 1/2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. You can make up the difference with water or wine if you need to.
3
Seafood Chowder:
4
Cut the shrimp, scallops and monkfish into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the crabmeat.
5
In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter; add the carrots, onion, celery, ptatoes and corn and saute over medium-low heat for 15 mintues or until the potatoes are barely cooked, stirring occasionally. Add the flour, reduce the ehat to low and cook, stirring often for three minutes. Add the Seafood Stock and bring to a boil. Add the seafood; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 7 to 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Add the heavy cream, if desired and the parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.