San Francisco Seafood Chowder

 

For 8 servings

• 8 small round buns
• 85 gr butter
• 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 parsnip peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 15 ml fresh thyme
• 125 ml all-purpose flour
• 2 liters fish broth
• 1 kg seafood (shrimp, mussels, clams, squid and white fish)
• 200 ml cream 35%
• ½ bunch chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ bunch chopped chives

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
2. Using a sharp knife, make a large hole in the surface of each loaf then remove the surface crust and reserve it; remove all the crumb from the inside, leaving the crust intact.
3. Place the loaves in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until dry and golden, set aside.
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and brown the leek, onion, garlic, carrot, parsnip, celery and thyme for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the vegetables with flour and mix everything well with a wooden spoon; return the pan to the heat and simmer until the mixture is golden brown (about 2 minutes).
6. Add the fish stock little by little, stirring constantly so as to dissolve the roux in the stock, then let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the fish by cutting the fish and seafood into bite-sized pieces.
8. Add the salt, cream, parsley and salt and pepper to taste; simmer for 5 minutes, avoiding boiling which can cause the soup to turn sour.
9. Once the seafood is cooked, stir the lemon juice into the chowder.
10. Divide the soup among the bread “bowls”; garnish with chives and serve.

BON APPÉTIT