Emerald Seafood Chowder
This is a delicious spring soup that is bright green due to the blending of handfuls of fresh spinach and parsley into the soup’s base. There are no heavy ingredients and yet it is thick, “creamy” and rich due to the fact that potatoes are simmered in seafood stock, along with leeks, garlic, celery and thyme, and pureed until smooth. Before blending the Emerald Seafood Chowder you are going to pull out a portion of the vegetables which, along with the seafood, will ultimately turn this “green smoothie” into a chowder.
If you are in the DC-area and don’t make your own seafood stock (kudos to you, if you do!) pick up a quart at The Market at River Falls in Potomac. They always have some in the freezer. While you are there, you can choose whatever combination of seafood catches your eye. The recipe calls for white fish (such as cod or halibut) and bay scallops (they had just run out when I was shopping for ingredients so I used the larger sea scallops that I quartered before simmering). You could really use any fish that you’d like. Flexibity continues with the ability to make the soup in advance up until the point that you add the seafood. Just bring the base to a boil before adding the fish and lemon and dinner is on the table in minutes.
I encourage you to give Emerald Seafood Chowder from Ellie Krieger’s Nourish column in the Food section of The Washington Post a try. It’s spring in a bowl. Enjoy!
Emerald Seafood Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 Tbls olive oil
- 1 large leek (or 2 small) white and light green parts chopped, 2 c
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 1 Tbls chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 4 c low-sodium seafood or fish stock
- 3 c lightly packed spinach leaves (I went a bit heavy on the spinach)
- 1/2 c lightly packed parsley leaves and tender stems
- 1 lb white fish fillets, such as cod or halibut cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 1/2 lb bay scallops
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbls fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the leeks and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until aromatic, stirring, 30 seconds more. Stir in the potato, salt and pepper, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1 cup of the vegetables from the pot and set aside. Add the spinach and parsley to the pot and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree until smooth (alternatively, let cool, then puree in several batches in a blender). If not planning to serve the chowder right away, refrigerate or freeze until needed.
- Return the pureed soup to a lively simmer, add the fish and scallops and simmer until both are just barely translucent in the center, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved vegetables and lemon zest and juice. Taste, and season with additional salt, if needed, then remove from the heat.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve.