Seafood Chowder

1 pound fish fillets, cut into cubes
1 pound crab meat
1 pint oysters
3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 fresh potatoes or (1) 10 ounce can diced potatoes
1 8 ounce jar clam juice
1/2 cup white wine
1 quart water
1 can chicken broth
2 Tbsp parsley
2 fresh tomatoes or (1) 10 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsps seafood seasoning
1 pound bag frozen corn
1 pound bag frozen carrots
salt and pepper, to taste

In large pot, cook bacon until crisp, set aside, drain grease. In the same pot, sauté onion, celery, and garlic until soft. Do not brown. Add remaining ingredients and crumbled bacon. Cook until vegetables are tender, add seafood. Simmer and serve.

Ingredients:

12 large shucked clams and clam juice
2 cans diced tomatoes or about 8 medium fresh diced tomatoes
3 or 4 diced white potatoes
1 diced carrot
1/2 small diced onion (optional)

Instructions:

Use kitchen shears and snip the clams into small pieces.

Remove the stomach sections and discard.

Dice the vegetables.

Combine the ingredients, clams and juice in a sauce pan.

Season with pepper. Add water as needed to cover the ingredients and simmer for 2 hours on medium heat.

Note:
You may use freshly shucked clams or pre-shucked clams

To make a basic fish chowder, follow this recipe:

Ingredients

8 oz. fish, baked, broiled, grilled or poached - choose a fish with white meat that separates into large flakes
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small onion or shallot, diced
2 cups canned chicken stock or home made fish stock
1 cup milk or heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
salt to taste

1. Bring stock to a boil and add vegetables, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add flakes of fish and set aside.

2. In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. butter, add 2 tbsp. flour and cook until browned slightly. Add one cup cold milk or cream and simmer until mixture starts to thicken. This is a basic white sauce.
3. Move vegetables and fish back to a heat source and slowly add the white sauce, stirring well.

4. Simmer 5 minutes on medium low heat. Add small amounts of milk to thin or flour to thicken the chowder.

5. Remove from heat and serve. Sprinkle with a small amount of fresh chopped parsley, chives or cilantro and red pepper.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb. cooked conch meat
1/2 lb. sliced bacon, chopped
2 med. onions, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
4 med. ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 lg. potato, cut into cubes
1 tbsp. long grain rice
3 bay leaves
1 qt. water
1 lg. can evaporated milk

Grind conch meat fine and place in a small bowl. Fry bacon in heavy 6 quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Add onions, garlic and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, but not brown. Stir in conch meat, tomatoes, potato, rice, bay leaves and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Pour in evaporated milk and cook, stirring until heated through. Serve at once. Do not substitute fresh milk for evaporated milk. Makes 6-8 servings.

Clams are among the most popular chowder ingredients. Clams suited for chowder include hard clams, quahogs, surf clams and soft shell clams.

Hard Clams

The hard clam or chowder clam is the most popular American clam. Seafood stores classify hard clams corresponding to their different sizes. The largest sizes are called quahogs or chowder clams, are used in such dishes as clam chowder, stuffed clams, clam fritters and other meals.

Hard Clam Sizes

Littleneck 10-13 per pound, approximately 1" in diameter
Middleneck 7-9 per pound, approximately 1.25 " in diameter
Topneck 5-7 per pound, approximately 1.5" in diameter
Cherrystone 3-4 per pound, approximately 2" in diameter
Chowder 2.5" and larger

Ocean Quahogs

The ocean quahog is also known as a mahogany clam, mahogany quahog, black quahog and black clam. Quahog may reach 3-6 inches in diameter. Quahogs are minced, chopped or cut into strips before they are suitable for the table. They are used in clam recipes such as chowders, linguine and other dishes.

Surf Clams

The Atlantic surf clam is harvested commercially off the Northeast USA coast. Other names include hen clam, sea clam, giant clam and bar clam. Surf clams range from 4 to 8 inches in length. Surf clams are used in fried clam strips, or chopped and used chowders, stews and other recipes. They are also harvested for their clam juice. The meat is sweet and delicately flavored.

Soft Shelled Clams

Soft shelled clams are sold live in the shell or shucked. A live clam will show movement; the snout (neck) will move if you touch it, and the shells will try to close if you pick up the clam. Scrub and rinse the clams before cooking them. Soft shelled clams may be purged in cold saltwater for about two hours to allow the clams to expel sand. Soft shelled clams are served steamed or used in chowders and other clam dishes.

Ingredients

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and diced or one small can baby shrimp
12 raw oysters
1/2 lb grouper or snapper fillets, cubed
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cans chicken stock
1 cup oriental rice noodles
sea salt and pepper to taste

Add chicken stock, mushrooms and cabbage. Simmer 20 minutes.
Add rice noodles, carrots, salt and pepper. Simmer 8- 10 minutes, just until noodles are done.