Nova Scotia seafood chowder
55 min · 42 g protein · 336 cals / serving
The Maritime chowder every Halifax pub is judged by: haddock, sweet scallops, shrimp and lobster in a creamy, buttery broth with tender potatoes, onion and a whisper of smoky bacon. The creaminess comes the Maritime way, from a can of evaporated milk, and dill finishes it.
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon, cooked crisp in the pot and crumbled
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) gold potatoes, peeled, in 1.5 cm (1/2-inch) dice
- 750 ml (3 cups) fish stock
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 450 g (1 lb) haddock fillet haddock, in large chunks
- 250 g (9 oz) sea scallops, large ones halved
- 250 g (9 oz) shrimp, peeled
- 1 can (370 ml) evaporated skim milk fat-free evaporated milk
- 250 ml (1 cup) 1% milk
- 150 g (5 oz) cooked lobster meat lobster, in chunks
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
To serve
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- a pinch paprika
Steps
- Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp; lift it out and crumble. Add the butter, onion and celery to the pot and cook gently 6–7 minutes, until soft but not browned.
- Add the potatoes, fish stock and thyme. Simmer, covered, 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
- Lower the heat so the chowder barely trembles. Lay in the haddock, scallops and shrimp and poach 4–5 minutes, until the fish flakes and everything is opaque, 145°F.
- Pour in the evaporated milk and milk, add the lobster and pepper, and heat gently until steaming; do not let it boil or the milk can split and the seafood toughens. Taste for salt.
- Ladle into warm bowls, scatter with the bacon, dill and a pinch of paprika.
Good to know
Why evaporated milk?
It is the old Maritime chowder trick: it tastes rich and creamy, stands up to heat better than fresh milk and gives the broth body without a drop of cream.
Can I change the seafood?
Any mix of about 2 1/2 lb works: cod or hake for the haddock, clams or mussels for the scallops, or more shrimp if lobster is out of reach. Smoked haddock in place of half the fish is lovely.
Is it better the next day?
The flavor is, yes. Reheat gently over low heat; it keeps 2 days in the fridge.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 67
- Protein
- (51%)
- 8 g
- Fat
- (17%)
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- (32%)
- 5 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- <1 g
- Sodium
- 168 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2016 kcal goes into the pot and 3341 g of ingredients comes out as about 3000 g of food: 67 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.