Warm up with chowder and stews
There’s nothing cozier than a pot bubbling on the stove on a cold day
The early winter air is brisk and the threat of a snow day always looming.
As the fire crackles in the fireplace and the furnace brings warmth into the house, I often find myself at the comfort of my stove cooking warming chowders and stews ideal for seasonal entertaining.
There’s little better on those cold winter evenings than curling up with a one-pot meal.
They are easy to make, wonderful to eat and even better the next day if you make enough for there to be leftovers.
Seafood Chowder
Serves 6 to 8
6 slices bacon, diced
2 large carrots, peeled, diced* 2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1⁄ cup white wine
3
1 1⁄ cups milk
2
1 1⁄ cups heavy cream
2
1⁄ cup yellow flesh potatoes,
2
diced
12 scallops
1 salmon fillet, chopped
1⁄ lb mussels
2
6 sprigs dill, chopped
Salt & pepper
Directions: Add the carrots, celery, and onions and sweat until vegetables are soft and bacon cooked. Remove from heat and set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and stir to make a roux. When bubbling return bacon and vegetables to pot. Add the thyme and white wine. Reduce until liquid half its original volume. Add the milk and cream and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and cook until soft. Add the seafood and cover pot.
Let steam for 5 to 10 minutes to ensure seafood is cooked through and mussels and clams are before serving, melt the remaining butter in pan over medium heat and add all the seafood. Once the mussels have opened and scallops and scallops are cooked through, lower heat to low.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and fresh dill.
Beef Bourguignon
Serves 6 to 8
2 1⁄ tablespoons butter
2
2 1⁄ lb beef, cubed
2
1 cup bacon, diced
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 1⁄ small onions, diced
2
1⁄ cup flour
3
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1⁄ cups red wine
2
1 1⁄ cups beef stock
2
Bouquet garni* ( parsley, thyme, bay leaf )
Salt
Pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms,