Description
A comforting and easy-to-make seafood chowder featuring tender potatoes, succulent prawns or smoked fish, and sweet vegetables in a creamy, lemon-infused broth. Perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner, this chowder combines simple ingredients with a flavorful blend of herbs and stock, served optionally with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Chowder Base
- 1 small potato (about 150g), cut into 2cm cubes
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 200ml semi-skimmed or whole milk
- 100ml vegetable or fish stock
Seafood and Vegetables
- 80g frozen prawns or smoked fish
- 75g fresh or frozen sweetcorn or peas (or use a mixture)
Finishing Touches
- 1 small lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve (optional)
- Crusty bread, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Tip the potatoes into a small saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes until just softened. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped celery and shallot and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the grated garlic and fry for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the roux and sauce: Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. Reduce heat to low and slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to create a thick sauce. Stir in the vegetable or fish stock and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add seafood and vegetables: Tip in the prawns or smoked fish, along with the sweetcorn or peas and the cooked potatoes. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are defrosted if frozen and the fish is cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish the chowder: When the mixture is creamy and coats the back of a spoon, add the lemon zest and juice. If the chowder is too thick, add up to 50ml of water to loosen the consistency. Season to taste with black pepper, salt, and roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley.
- Serve: Pour the chowder into bowls, garnish with extra black pepper and parsley. Serve with crusty bread if desired for a wholesome meal.
Notes
- Use smoked fish for a richer flavor or frozen prawns for a lighter taste.
- Adjust the thickness of the chowder with a little water or extra milk as needed.
- Fresh vegetables can be substituted for frozen if available.
- To make it gluten-free, substitute the plain flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Serve immediately for the best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: seafood chowder, easy chowder recipe, quick seafood soup, creamy chowder, prawn chowder, smoked fish chowder
