Seafood chowder that will leave the House Speaker speechless
Ingredients
Vegetables 1 cup carrots, diced 1 cup turnip, diced 1 cup celery, diced
Seafood
1/2 lb. cod fillets, skinned, boneless, cut in 1½-inch cubes; fresh or frozen and thawed. Can use any white groundfish fillets or trimmings
1/2 lb. lobster meat and scallops, cut small, approximately a half inch by a half inch
1/2 lb. other combination of any seafood (lobster, mussels, salmon, scallops, shrimp) cut into small pieces approximately a half inch by a half inch
Chowder Base
1/2 cup flour ½ cup butter ½ cup onion, finely chopped 3 cups milk (or cream) 1 tbsp. dried tarragon Salt and pepper
Directions
Add 3 cups of water to a saucepan and add vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook over medium heat until al dente (still firm, not soft), 10 to 15 minutes. When cooked, strain the vegetables but retain the vegetable water for the cream sauce in another bowl. Set both aside.
Add cubed fish to another saucepan and fill the saucepan with water just to the level of the fish. Do not cover the fish with water as the fish will create its own liquid during cooking. Cook gently so the fish is just cooked but not falling apart, approximately 7 minutes. When cooked, strain the fish and retain the fish liquid for the cream sauce in another bowl. Set both aside. To make the base, start with melting the butter in a large stock pot. Add the onions to sweat in the butter, until the onions are translucent, soft and sweet, approximately 3 minutes. Add the flour to the onions and butter. Stir consistently and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add in the milk and heat thoroughly until a thick consistency is achieved. Then add in the fish stock. Typically, use all of the fish stock. Then add the vegetable water until it is a creamy texture. Add then the vegetables and fish and stir gently. Add the tarragon and some salt and pepper to taste. Simmer five to 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.