seafood and seaweed chowder

Seafood-and-Seaweed Chowder

Description

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.

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.