Recipes from professional Chef Tallyrand:

• Seafood Chowder •

Ingredients

butter	100	gm
mixed seafood	700	gm
onion	40	gm
carrot	40	gm
leek	40	gm
brandy	40	ml
dry white wine	40	ml
flour	50	gm
fish / seafood stock	1	lt
cream	100	ml
tomato paste (optional)	40	gm
seasoning		sq

Method

1. Melt the butter in a thick bottom pan
2. Add the seafood and sweat for 5 minutes without colouring
3. Add the vegetables (cut into brunoise or macedoine / small dice)
4. Add the brandy and flambé, add wine and reduce
5. Remove from the heat and add the flour (and tomato paste) return to heat and cook out
6. Cool slightly and add the warmed stock (a light chicken stick may also be used)
7. Stir until smooth and bring to the boil, season
8. Simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally to prevent burning
9. Add cream just prior to serving
10. 75 gms of butter may be added to give a final enriching flavour
11. Finish with chopped chives or shredded coriander
    

Chef's Tip:

Bags of frozen mixed seafood are available from supermarkets and are often called or referred to as 'marinara'.

If you are using fresh shellfish cook the them as follows:

• Place into a large saucepan with a wide bottom (or cook them in small batches)
• Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and place over a high heat with a lid on: this will steam them and retain the maximum of flavour
• Allow to steam until cooked (until the shell opens), shake the pan from time to time to distribute the heat evenly
• Strain, but retain the cooking liquid and use this as your stock for the soup
• Pick the flesh out of the shells once cool
• Repeat as required

Enjoy and bon appetit . . . . .

Published 01 March 2004