From the menu // Recipe: Creamy seafood chowder
During a recent cold snap, Robyn Boyd savoured a warm bowl of delicious seafood chowder from Protocol restaurant in Christchurch. ‘‘The seafood chowder was the creamiest I have ever tasted. I would love to know the recipe,’’ she said. We contacted the restaurant on her behalf and it happily shared the recipe.
Creamy seafood chowder Serves 4
❚ 250g butter
❚ 250g flour
❚ 1⁄2 litre chicken or seafood stock
❚ 1⁄2 litre cream
❚ 2 potatoes, cut into small cubes
❚ 250g prawns
❚ Handful shellfish in shells, such as scallops or mussels
❚ 400g white fish, such as terakihi or gurnard
Make a roux base by melting the butter in a large pot over a low heat, then whisk in the flour. Stir well until it has lightened in colour. Slowly add the stock to the roux in batches, and stir until smooth. Add the cream and potato, and simmer gently for five minutes while stirring regularly. Add shellfish, and cook for two minutes before adding the other seafood. Continue to simmer until seafood is just cooked through and shellfish have opened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with parsley or chives. Enjoy with warm, buttery ciabatta.
Protocol, 2 Colombo St, Cashmere, Christchurch. Open Monday to Friday from 10am to late, and weekends from 8am to late.f
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