How to make a shrimp and crab chowder for your next special dinner. This restaurant-style soup is sure to amaze your guests!
At the beginning of this year, I received an invitation to participate in a Recipe Swap of sorts from Christianna of Burwell General Store. During her travels, Christianna had found an old-time hymnal and cookbook ( All-Day Singin’ and Dinner on the Ground by Albert E. Brumley) and thought it would be fun to update the older recipes and give them our own twist.
The rules of the swap are pretty simple: change three things about the original recipe while staying true to its basic premise and adding your own twist. This month’s Selection for the recipe swap was “Wild Rabbit with Vegetables.”
Now I have to tell you, the thought of eating a little fluffy bunny is not high on my list. I do understand they’re considered good eatin’ in certain parts of the world, but I’m afraid rabbit has not made its way into my repertoire.
As I looked over the recipe, it really didn’t look much different from any stew I could make, and chicken would have been the easiest substitution for the little fluffy bunny. Sigh.
But I had Shrimp and jumbo lump crab meat on hand, so rather than make a trip to the store, I decided to make my entry in this month’s swap a Seafood stew. I did have some fish pieces in the freezer, but they looked a little worse for wear, so instead of ingredients in the stew, they found their way into the stock pot with all the shrimp shells I had been saving.
This would have made a wonderful fisherman’s stew with chunks of fish and even a few clams, but without the fish, I decided to make it into a chowder. It was without a doubt a good decision, and it will be making many more appearances at our table. Feel free to recreate this dish with whatever seafood you have on hand or is available in your area.
Any way you make it, I’m sure it will be a hit at your table!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Shrimp and Crab Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion medium dice
- 3-4 carrots , rough cut medium
- 6 celery stalks rough cut medium
- 2 medium potatoes rough cut medium
- 1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped
- ½ lb crab meat ( I used jumbo lump)
- ½ lb unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- 2 quarts fish or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- old bay to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- start a seafood stock with any fish pieces, or scrap, shrimp shells or fish bones you may have on hand. ( you may use clam juice instead)
- add the butter to a 4 quart sauce pan with all of the rough cut vegetables and allow to cook until they begin to soften.
- Add the flour to the vegetables and mix well, to make a roux, allow this to cook for at least 5 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- add the heated stock to the roux mixture and blend well.
- add in the heavy cream and season.
- allow chowder to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- add the chopped shrimp pieces and allow to cook in the chowder for 3-5 minutes
- Before serving add in your crab meat.
Candace
Chef, you did an amazing job updating this recipe into something that I would absolutely love to try. It looks delicious. I’ve buzzed it and I’ve printed it to try soon. The swamp maples are already starting to turn up here so I am thinking really hard about food like this these days. I hope you have a happy Labor Day and a wonderful school year. It seems like you were just starting your summer vacation. Where does time go? Candace
Lana
I am sure that the rabbit does not mind one bit that shrimp and crab took its place! The chowder looks amazing, especially with that gorgeous crusty bread on the side.
A lot of my friends bring me bones and fish heads that I use to make a stock they probably think I am nuts – but you can definitely tell the difference in stews and other seafood dishes
Congrats on yet another year at the school! Those girls are lucky!.
Ridwan
This soup sound really Yum,i will save the recipe,will make it sometime 🙂
Dawnie
Oh yum this sounds so good to me!
Elin
Slurp slurp slurping away ( in my mind )…that is so mouthwatering…crabs and shrimps are my favorites. Great one and I have KIV this when I next buy some crabs 🙂
Have a nice day Chef Dennis,
Elin
raquel @ Erecipe
I hate it, because when I see your food my tummy is growling… now I am craving for this =)
Lori
A great swap out for poor Fluffy! This would have been perfect to take the chill off this evening. I wish I had smell-o-internet!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
Love this vintage cookbook swap! I would have definitely started with swapping out that rabbit first! Eeekkkk!!
mangiabella
mmmm sounds great Chef, a wonderful substitution indeed
alex
shrimp and crab always win in my book! I’ll be making this over the fall!
Boulder Locavore
Love your update of the recipe! I think this is our most provocative recipe yet, clearly bringing up alot for swappers around the rabbit. This is a great spin staying true to the idea of a stew but swapping the protein. Love it!
Burwell General Store
Dennis, love it! It was hard to think about little fluffy bunnies, wasn’t it? Love the new site design, too- as always, I’m honored be a part of the swap with you.
Apron Appeal
As soon as the air crisps up a bit…i will be all over this!
Anne@frommysweetheart
What a beautiful chowder! I think swapping out the protein was a good move! Though I LOVE that vintage cookbook….very cool! This chowder looks so inviting! : )
Michelle O
I’ll take shrimp and crab meat over a fluffy bunny anyday. Good choice. 🙂 Looks delish.