Blackened corn seafood chowder

FRUIT N VEGGIES
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Amfibius
Posts: 486
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2011 4:14 am
Location: Camberwell, Melbourne

Blackened corn seafood chowder

Post by Amfibius »

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This is my twist on a classic seafood chowder recipe. The corn is blackened over a BBQ, which gives the chowder an unusual smoky flavour. I have also lightened the chowder by using far less potato and cream than is traditional. Here I used a Langoustine as garnish, but you could also use yabbies, marron, or a large prawn. The recipe yields about 1.5L of soup - enough for 6 people.

For the soup base
- 500gm ham hock
- 1 carrot
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 large brown onion
- 400mL white wine
- 500gm fish bones
- 1 dutch cream potato

Add all the ingredients to a pressure cooker except the fish, then bring to full pressure and boil for 2 hours. Strain out the stock, then add the fish bones and simmer for 20 minutes. The reason you do not add the fish bones to the pressure cooker is because 2 hours under full pressure will extract too much calcium and give you a chalky tasting stock.

Once the stock is made, skin the potato and cut into slices. Boil the potato in the stock until very soft (about 20 minutes). Strain the potato out, then mash it into the stock.

For the seafood
- 18 mussels (3 mussels per person)
- 6 langoustines or similar

Steam the mussels for exactly 4 minutes in a bowl. Open the mussels, reserving the juice. Keep the meat aside. Add the juice to the stock.

Simmer the langoustines in stock for exactly 4 minutes, then plunge in an ice bath. Shell the langoustine tail, keeping the head intact. Reserve.

For the vegetables
- 4 corn on the cob
- 1 large carrot
- 3 celery stalks

Cut the carrot and celery into 2mm brunoise, about the same size as a corn kernel.

Freeze the corn for 1 hour to protect it from overcooking, then fire up your BBQ grille as hot as it will go. Brush the corn thoroughly with vegetable oil, and place on the BBQ. The oil will cause flames to flare. Encourage this by frequently basting and turning the corn. You want the whole surface of the corn to be black and blistered. Once done, remove and cool, then shave the kernels off. Reserve.

For the soup
- stock base from above
- seafood from above
- vegetables from above
- 200mL cream
- 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
- Manchego cheese

Bring the stock base to the boil, then season with salt and pepper. Warm the seafood by microwaving for 1 minute. Add the raw vegetables and boil for 1 minute until just tender but still crunchy. Add the corn, then add the cream. Pour into bowls. Push the mussels into the soup, then garnish with the chives. Grate the Manchego on top, then place the langoustine. Serve.
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