Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shelled prawns

• 4-5 prepared scallops, thickly sliced

• A handful of fresh or frozen mussels, chopped squid etc., if you like them

• 1 tbsp. butter or olive oil

• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

• 2 rashers of smoked bacon, finely chopped. You can omit bacon if you do not eat meat

• 1 leek, thinly sliced or chopped

• 1 green pepper (bell pepper or capsicum), deseeded and finely chopped

• 1 stalk of celery, cleaned and finely chopped

• 1-2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 2 fresh corn cobs, kernels taken off the cob with a sharp knife. You can use a small tin of corn or 1 cup of frozen corn kernels

• 1 1/2 tbsp. plain white flour

• 1 pint or 500 ml. or 2-3 cups milk

• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock

• Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

• 1 small carton of single cream

Instructions

1. Wash and leave sea food in a colander/sieve, for the water to drain away.

2. Prepare all vegetables as described in ingredients.

3. Puree half the corn kernels in a blender, with a little milk.

4. Heat butter/oil in a large pan, add leeks, bacon and garlic. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add all vegetables, except the corn, and cook on low heat, until vegetables are translucent. This takes 4-5 minutes.

6. Add flour and stir-fry for a further 1 minute, just like making a white sauce.

7. Add corn kernels, pureed corn, milk, stock, salt and pepper.

8. Boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.

9. Add the prawns, scallops and other seafood, cook for further 3-4 minutes.

10. Adjust seasoning.

11. Add cream and stir.

12. Serve hot with bread.

13. Also see Soup Selection.

Notes

• In San Francisco, the chowder is served with in a hollowed out sour dough bread roll.