Mussel and Scallop Chowder
A delicious and hearty Winter warmer, generous with delectable seafood, this Mussel and Scallop Chowder is the perfect dinner on a cold and misty Friday! Have a good one!
Ingredients (serves 3):
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion
1 small shallot
1 small Garden Leek
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 large Garden Potatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup frozen mussels
1 cup frozen scallops (without coral)
1 heaped teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Bourgogne Aligoté or Entre-Deux-Mers
2 cups water
1/3 cup double cream
Melt butter with olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Peel and finely chop onion.
Once the butter is just foaming, stir in the chopped onion, and cook, a couple of minutes until softened.
Peel and finely chop shallot. Stir into the pot, and cook, 1 minute more.
Thoroughly rinse Garden Leek under cold water. Thinly slice Leek, keeping just a bit of its tender green part. Stir Leek slices into the pot. Cook, another couple of minutes.
Season with dill.
Peel and dice Garden Potatoes, and stir them into the pot, coating in herbs and fat.
Add butter to the pot. Once it is just foaming, stir in frozen mussels and scallops. Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Cook, 3 minutes.
Sprinkle generously with flour, and give a good stir, to coat seafood and vegetables. Cook, one minute more.
Deglaze with Bourgogne Aligoté, gradually stirring it in. Then, stir in water, and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, cover with the lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, and stir in double cream. Increase heat back to medium-high, and boil rapidly for a few minutes, until slightly thickened.
thinly slice reserved green part of Garden Leek, and sprinkle liberally on top.
Serve Mussel and Scallop Chowder hot, with a glass of chilled dry white wine, like a good Bourgogne Aligoté or Entre-Deux-Mers.
