Description
This Creamy Seafood Chowder is a luxurious and comforting dish featuring a medley of lobster, shrimp, scallops, and crab in a rich, buttery, and creamy broth. Sautéed aromatics combined with milk, half-and-half, and seafood stock create a luscious base thickened with flour. Finished with a touch of white wine, paprika, and sugar, this chowder offers a harmonious balance of savory flavors perfect for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 1 pound fresh lobster meat, chopped
- 1 pound large shrimp
- 2/3 pound scallops, chopped
- 2/3 pound crab meat (lump or claw)
Dairy & Fats
- 8 ounces butter (divided into 6 oz and 2 oz portions)
- 4 1/2 cups milk (2% or whole)
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup minced celery
Dry Ingredients & Spices
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Liquids
- 2 cups seafood stock
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a Dutch oven or small stockpot, melt 6 ounces of butter over medium-low heat. Add minced onion, garlic, and celery, sautéing until softened and translucent to build a flavorful base.
- Create Roux: Whisk in the all-purpose flour to the aromatic mixture, stirring constantly to combine. Cook carefully without allowing it to burn, forming a roux to thicken the chowder.
- Add Liquids: Gradually pour in the milk, half and half, and seafood stock while stirring continuously. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and is heated through, then reduce the heat to low.
- Sauté Seafood: On a separate burner, heat a large skillet and melt the remaining 2 ounces of butter. Sauté the shrimp and scallops, cooking and stirring until they become opaque, roughly 4 to 5 minutes.
- Combine Seafood & Flavorings: Add the sautéed shrimp and scallops to the chowder base. Stir in the chopped lobster meat, crab meat, white cooking wine, paprika, and sugar. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes to blend flavors. Then, turn off the heat.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the chowder to rest for 10 minutes to deepen the flavors before serving warm.
Notes
- Use fresh seafood for best flavor; frozen can be substituted but may reduce freshness.
- If unavailable, chicken stock can be a substitute for seafood stock, though it will alter the flavor slightly.
- You can adjust the thickness of the chowder by varying the amount of flour and liquids.
- For a spicier kick, consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper along with the paprika.
- Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers for a complete meal.
Keywords: seafood chowder, creamy chowder, lobster chowder, shrimp chowder, scallop chowder, crab chowder, seafood soup, comfort food