Clam chowder by uncle Gosha
Cuisine: American
Author: Maria Kalenska
Prep time: 35 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 55 mins


Ingredients
  • 1½ litre water
  • 250 g fresh or frozen scallops
  • 200 g shrimps, unpeeled
  • 1 head of red fish (trout or salmon) plus ridge (total weight 800 g)
  • 125 g bacon
  • 2 halves of sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • ½ fresh hot red pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 100 ml single cream
  • olive oil for frying
  • butter for frying
  • saffron
  • tarragon
  • bay leaf
  • salt
Cooking method
  1. If the scallops are frozen, defrost them in advance. Pour water into a pot, add scallops, bring to boil and simmer. Peel the shrimps. Add the shells and heads of the shrimps to the scallops, and set aside the meat. Add fish head and ridge, and bay leaf to the stock. Simmer the for 1 hour. Strain the cooked stock. Finely chop the scallops, remove the fish from the bones and put in a separate container.
  2. Finely chop the bacon and fry until crispy. Put the cooked bacon on a kitchen paper to absorb excess fat. Fry the garlic in a separate frying pan in olive oil until half cooked. Add shrimps with sun-dried tomatoes to the garlic and fry for another 3-5 minutes.
  3. Fry onions, potatoes, and celery with a bit of little olive oil and butter in a large pot until golden brown. Add saffron and tarragon, 2 tbsp flour, stir and cook for 2 minutes (the flour should not darken). Stirring constantly, pour in the fish stock. Add fried bacon, fish, scallops, and salt. Bring the soup to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add 1 tbsp flour to the cream and mix well. 5 minutes before the soup is ready, add cream mixture and hot pepper. Before serving, put a few shrimps in a plate. Garnish the soup with garlic croutons and serve.
My tips and tricks
At Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, this soup is usually served in bread. Buy a small round loaf of bread with a firm crust, carefully cut all the flesh out and serve the clam chowder in a bread bowl. A drop of Tabasco or Worchester will add heat to the soup.

Maria Kalenska Gastronomy Blog | http://www.myodessacuisine.com/recipes/clam-chowder-by-uncle-gosha/