Description
This creamy seafood chowder combines fresh lobster, shrimp, scallops, and crab meat in a rich, buttery broth thickened with flour and enriched with milk, half and half, and seafood stock. Seasoned with garlic, onions, celery, white wine, paprika, and parsley, it offers a luxurious and comforting bowl of New England-inspired seafood chowder that’s 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)
Base and Seasonings
- 8 ounces butter (divided, 2 sticks)
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup minced celery
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups milk (2% or whole)
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 2 cups seafood stock
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
- 1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a Dutch oven or small stock pot, melt 6 ounces butter over medium-low heat. Add minced onion, garlic, and celery, sautéing until softened and translucent to develop the flavorful base for the chowder.
- Create Roux: Whisk in the flour to the butter and vegetable mixture, cooking and stirring continuously to combine and avoid burning. This will help thicken the chowder.
- Add Liquids: Slowly pour in the milk, half and half, and seafood stock while stirring constantly. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens and heats through, then reduce heat to low to maintain warmth without boiling.
- Cook Seafood: On a separate burner, heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the shrimp and scallops in the remaining 2 ounces of butter. Cook and stir until the seafood is opaque, about 4-5 minutes.
- Combine and Season: Transfer the cooked shrimp and scallops to the chowder pot. Stir in crab meat, white cooking wine, paprika, sugar, and parsley. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to meld flavors and finish cooking.
- Rest and Serve: Turn off the heat and let the chowder rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to fully develop.
Notes
- Use fresh seafood whenever possible for the best flavor and texture.
- Do not let the roux burn; stir continuously when adding flour.
- Adjust the thickness of the chowder by varying the amount of flour or liquid based on your preference.
- For a richer chowder, whole milk and half and half are recommended over 2% milk.
- This chowder can be served with crusty bread or oyster crackers for a complete meal.
Keywords: seafood chowder, creamy chowder, lobster chowder, shrimp scallop chowder, crab chowder, New England seafood soup, creamy seafood soup