Nee Nee’s Classic Fish Chowder

 This is a creamy soup is reminiscent of clam chowder but loaded with flakey white fish and shrimp; A sure cure for the cold weather blues!

Ingredients:

3 T Olive oil

1 med onion diced
3-4 garlic cloves minced
2 leeks cleaned and sliced
1 small celery heart diced (including leaves)
4 medium carrots diced
1 large potato peeled and diced
1 C white wine
1 tsp tarragon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 bay leaves
1 qt seafood stock
2-3 C cubed fish of your choice
1-2 C shrimp in bite-size pieces
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a soup kettle or Dutch oven.  Sauté onions, leeks, celery and carrots (season with salt & pepper).  When vegetables begin to look translucent, add garlic and sauté until fragrant.   Add wine and next 3 ingredients.  Allow the wine to simmer and reduce slightly then add the seafood stock and diced potato.  Bring to a light boil until carrots and potato are just barely cooked (not mushy).  Taste broth and reseason with salt & pepper as needed.  Add fish and shrimp and allow to simmer until barely cooked through.  Add cream, bring to a good simmer until all ingredients are cooked. 

Fish:  I like white fish in my soup, but I’ve seen it made with salmon, scallops or whatever you like.

Optional:  You can make up a cornstarch slurry and add it to the soup when it’s at a light boil to thicken the soup if you like.