Scallop Chowder

It's been raining and a little chilly for the last three days and I really fancied a nice light soup. It wasn't cold enough to want a full on, thick chunky winter special, just something warm and delicate. I was digging around for a good recipe and found a fish chowder that sounded good but a little too fishy and heavy, so I decided to have a crack at my own version of chowder.

The end result was superb. My husband stated that it was restaurant quality, and he wasn't even sucking up, and a friend thought that it was a good as one would get on the docks in San Francisco. Seeing as this is the home of chowder I was suitably chuffed with myself.

Teapots have a crack, scallop chowder

Serves 3

350g fresh scallops, roe removed and discarded
4 Dutch Cream potatoes - peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
1 stick of Celery - finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 French Shallot - diced as fine as possible
6 strands of Saffron - no imitation saffron please
300mls cream
80g Butter - once again the real thing. No margarine substitutes
700ml Chicken Stock
200ml warm water
1/4 bunch of Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tbs Olive Oil
Chives to garnish
Salt & Pepper

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add 30g of the butter and the olive oil. Once this mixture is bubbling add the scallops and cook for a 40 seconds a side. The scallops should expand a little and be a slight golden colour. Once they are done remove them from the pan and set to one side.

Add the potatoes, celery, shallot, saffron and garlic. Cook this for a minute or two or until the celery and garlic have softened. Don't let it brown. Pour in the chicken stock and water. Bring to the boil and then let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  Stir in the cream and let it bubble slightly for another 10 minutes.

Return the scallops to the pan, add the parsley and remaining butter.  Season to taste with salt. As soon as the butter has melted remove from heat and serve immediately.  Garnish with chives and cracked pepper.

We had this with some fresh crusty white bread. So delicious. I should have doubled the amounts that I made as there was a tiny little bit left the next day and it tasted even better.

Much love and soupy goodness coming your way
Teapot Lou

I'm baaacckk!

After a huge period of technical difficulties, losing the battery charger to my camera, (Husbands fault of course) I'm back. YAY!

So to kick this off again I'm going to start with another lazy girls guide. Warning this is loaded with fat, creams, cheese and all the good stuff. It's not as bad as mac 'n' cheese (promise I'll make that) but it is way yummy. 

The lazy girls guide to 15 minute gnocchi

1 x packet of gnocchi

2 glasses of white wine - one for the pot and one for you

100 mls of cream

1 x basil dip, black swan brand is awesome

1/2 a green chilli

1 x punnet of cherry tomatoes - quarted

2 handfuls of rocket

BBQ chicken - breasts chopped roughly

Lemon

Parmesan

Salt & pepper

Fill a saucepan with cold water and add salt to it. The saucepan needs to be big enough to cook gnocchi and put it on a medium heat. 

In a large non-stick frypan add the chilli and basil dip. Once it becomes fragrant add the tomatoes and pour in the glass of wine. The sauce should turn a creamy green. Let this simmer for a few minutes until it starts to thicken. 

Once the sauce has thickened slightly add in the chicken and season to your liking. The pot of salted water should be boiling at this point.  Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. 

Give the sauce a quick stir and add in the rocket. Mix this into the sauce and then take the sauce off the heat. The gnocchi should be ready, if it has floated to to top of the pan, it's done. 

Drain gnocchi, top with sauce, squeeze on some fresh lemon juice, add a few pieces of fresh parmesan and a crack of black pepper and you are done.

Belissimo.

Peace, 

Teapot Lou