Seafood-and-Seaweed Chowder Recipe

Seafood-and-Seaweed Chowder

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A combination of dry hard cider and dried seaweed brings a sweet, mild salinity to the stock, making it ideal for precooking the mussels and clams before using it as the base of the chowder.

By JP McMahon

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Seafood and Seaweed Chowder — Photo: Caitlin Bensel

Active Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 15 mins

Yield:

6 to 8

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Ingredients

STOCK

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) dry hard cider
7 cups water
1 1/2 ounces dried kelp or kombu
10 thyme sprigs
5 medium garlic cloves
3 fresh bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed

CHOWDER

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped into small cubes
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 medium leeks, finely chopped into small cubes
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 pound skinless pollock or cod fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT

Finely ground nori

Directions

Make the stock

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Add cider; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes. Add 7 cups water, kelp, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, until flavors meld and liquid is reduced to about 4 1/2 cups, about 40 minutes.
Place mussels and clams in simmering stock; cover and cook until shells open, 8 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels and clams to a medium bowl; discard any that did not open. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Remove meat from shells; discard shells, and set meat aside. Pour stock through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; discard solids.

Make the chowder

Wipe Dutch oven clean. Add butter, and melt over medium-high. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in potatoes, leeks, salt, and 41/2 cups strained stock (discard any remaining stock, or reserve for another use). Let mixture come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in cream; cook, undisturbed, just until chowder returns to a simmer. Add pollock; cook, stirring occasionally, until fish is almost cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in reserved mussel and clam meat. Remove from heat. Let stand until mussels and clams are heated through and pollock flakes when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Stir in dill; season with salt to taste. Ladle into serving bowls; garnish with ground nori and dill.