Seafood Chowder

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
200g bacon, rind trimmed, chopped
2 brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 tsp plain flour
1 1/2 cups (375mL) milk, hot
100mL white wine
1L (4 cups) good-quality fish stock, warmed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 large potato, peeled, finely diced
1 corn cob, kernels removed
400g skinless fish of your choice, cut into 3cm pieces (e.g salmon, cod, barramundi)
8 green prawns, peeled and deveined
8 black mussels, cleaned, debearded
½ cup thickened cream

Chopped dill and parsley, lemon zest and wedges, and crusty bread, to serve

Method

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Cook bacon for 2 to 3 minutes or until starting to crisp. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to soften and then add garlic, carrot, celery and potato. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes to soften and then stir in flour and cook for a further minute.

Add the wine, then the milk, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Gently simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream, mussels then the fish and prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat and discard bay leaf.

Season to taste. Serve sprinkled with herbs and lemon zest, with lemon wedges and crusty bread on the side.