Caribbean Chowder
Indulge yourself with Caribbean Chowder, a zesty mingling of seafood, veggies, and spices like chipotle.
Course: Entertaining, Lunch, Main Dish, Soup/Stew
Cuisine: International
Yield: 12 people
- 1 pound shrimp shells
- 1 gallon water
- 1 baby carrots with greens attached diced
- 1 head celery diced
- 1 pound okra diced
- 2 vidalia onions diced
- 1 head fennel diced
- 1/2 cup garlic chopped
- 10 ounces tomato puree (low sodium)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch thyme leaves picked and chopped
- 1 whole chipotle pepper
- 1 tablespoon oregano (dry)
- 1/2 pound salmon diced
- 1 pound white fish (such as halibut, sea bass or tilapia) diced
- 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined and diced
- 1/2 pound whole baby clams, low sodium
- black peppercorns ground to taste
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves picked and chopped
To make stock, bring shrimp shells to a boil in water (can also add carrot skins, celery leaves, fennel greens, and onion skins). Simmer for 2 hours. Drain and reserve liquid.
In large stockpot, add all vegetables, including garlic, and sweat until onions are translucent.
Add tomato puree, bay leaf, thyme, shrimp stock, chipotle pepper, and oregano. Simmer for 2 hours.
Add salmon and white fish. Simmer for 1 hour more, breaking fish with back of spoon. Add shrimp and clams. Cook 1 minute. When ready to serve, add black peppercorns and cilantro. Remove chipotle.