Seafood Chowders

Living in the Annapolis Valley seafood chowders are always a favorite meal, served often. Even during hard times one could usually buy some broken haddock or cod fillets fairly reasonable, add some potatoes and cream and you had a great meal to serve the family.

Every time my son Curtis, who lives in Saskatchewan come home for a visit the first thing he asks for is a big pot of seafood chowder. Funny when he was growing up here he always complained about having fish again. But now that he lives in the prairies he longs for good chowder. No matter how big a pot full I make, he could eat it all himself if we let him.

Below I have shared some of my favorite recipes for different seafood chowders. If you have a favorite we would love to hear about it also. Just use the form on the bottom of this page and share your great chowder recipes with us.

• 1/2 cup finely diced bacon or salt pork
• 1 cup chopped onion
• liquid from clams plus 4 cups water
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 can or 2 cups lobster cut up
• 1 can of clams
• 1 lb of Digby scallops
• 1 1/2 lbs of fresh Haddock
• chopped parsley (optional)
• 1 qt creamilk or blend
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine

Fry the bacon or salt pork in the cook pot until crisp. Remove and save until later. Sauté onions until soft in the fat. Add the clam juice and water, salt & pepper and the potatoes. Bring to boil then turn down the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are starting to soften. You want them so you can stick your fork into them, but still fairly firm. Add the haddock, clams, scallops and lobster and continue to simmer for about ten minutes or until the haddock is cooked. I drain most of the water off now. Add the bacon pieces or salt pork, mushroom soup and the creamilk or blend and the butter or margarine. (Some people will add some flour & water shook up like for gravy to thicken the chowder). Heat just to the boiling point. Sprinkle in the parsley to decorate and serve with fresh rolls or soda crackers.(I will use shredded dulse in my chowder for flavor. I add it when I put the potatoes in.)

If you have any left over you can store in sealed containers and put in the freezer.

• 1/2 cup finely diced bacon or salt pork
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs of fresh haddock, cod, flounder or what ever fish you prefer
• 1 qt creamilk or blend
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine

Fry the bacon or salt pork in the cook pot until crisp. Remove and save until later. Sauté onions until soft in the fat. Add the water, salt & pepper and the potatoes. Bring to boil then turn down the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are starting to soften. You want them so you can stick your fork into them, but still fairly firm. Add the fish and bacon or salt pork and continue cooking until the fish is done. I drain most of the water off now. Add the Creamilk or blend, the butter or margarine and the cream of mushroom soup and heat just to the boiling point. Serve with fresh rolls or soda crackers. (I will use shredded dulse in my chowder for flavor. I add it when I put the potatoes in.)

If you have any left over you can store in sealed containers and put in the freezer.

You can basically make any type of seafood chowders you want using this recipe, just substitute the fish for clams, lobster, shrimp or whatever you prefer.

What is your Favorite Recipe?

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