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In the United States, the cost of food is continuously rising. It has become very difficult to manage the cost of food within the household budget. I have made it a habit to check out the store weekly newsletters’ sales items to make my shopping list. By planning around meats, vegetables or fruits on sale that week, it is possible to make a nice meal for half the current usual cost. This week, our market had fresh beautiful shrimps for half price. I had to think of a meal made with these beautiful shrimps. Weather being on a cool side, comforting chowder for dinner seemed desirable.
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Shrimp Chowder
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
INGREDIENTS
• 454 g/ 1 lb shrimps, still in their shells but deveined
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 bay-leaf
• 830 ml/ 3½ cups hot water
• 57 g/ 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 250 g/ 9 oz/ 1 large onion diced small
• 140 g/ 5 oz/ 2 large stalks celery, diced small
• 40 g/ 5 Tbsp unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 475 ml/ 2 cups hot milk
• 310 g/ 11 oz/ 1 large white potato, with skin, diced small
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
Note: For a vegetarian/vegan chowder, use oil instead of butter, skip shrimp and add corn or cauliflower and/or carrots instead. Add vegetarian/vegan bouillon for richer flavor.
DIRECTIONS
◊ Shell the shrimps and keep the shells. Cut the shrimp into bite size pieces and set aside.
◊ In a medium saucepan, add oil and put on high heat. Sautée the shells for 2 minute. Add bay-leaf and hot water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile…
◊ Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat. Add cut onion and sautée for 3 minutes. Add cut celery and sautée for 3 minutes more. Sprinkle on ¼ of flour at a time and stir. Continue to stir until flour starts changing color. Add milk and stir vigorously until the flour makes the liquid thicker. Add the cut potato and stir for 1 minute. Add shrimp broth to the pot through a sieve and discard the shells. Increase the heat and stir until the liquid thickens. Lower the heat to medium-low (or tad lower) and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered until potato is cooked. Stay by the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot often to avoid any coagulation.
Meanwhile…
◊ After the contents of the pot have cooked for 13 minutes, add salt and pepper to the cut shrimp and mix well.
◊ Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a fry-pan. Add the shrimps and sautée until shrimps change color, no more than 1 minute. Add shrimps to the pot, stir well, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Soup is ready to be served.
~ Bon Appétit! ~
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So, what’s cooking in your kitchen?
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This chowder recipe is lovely, Fae! Great ingredient combination, can’t wait to taste it!
Thank you very much, dear Agnes! I love chowders and this version is pretty special. Enjoy! 🙂
Hello dear Tonette! Happy New Year 2017. So good to see your comment. I have taken some time off too. I’ll start posting soon too. 🙂
I know what you mean about food costs…we were shocked at how much more expensive food was when we moved from New Hampshire to Florida. Love your chowder!
Hi Karen, Very recently, we moved from SF Bay Area to Phoenix, AZ (the reason for not blogging for a while, till I settle completely). In general, grocery cost is the same, however some produce are more reasonable, and I must say, more naturally ripped, which make them tastier. Now I have to look for Persian (Middle Eastern) and Japanese (Asian) markets, which would be difficult for me to be happy without them. 😀
Looks really nice and tasty! 🙂
Thank you, Linda. My apologies for a late comment. I have been in the process of moving inter-state and also, am still in hiatus from blogging, due to travel and life matters. I’ll be back soon. 🙂
Oh this looks divine!
Fae,
I love chowders and this shrimp one is making me drool. Perfect for the fall weather!
Hi Sandhya, I love chowders too. Indeed it is perfect for this season. 🙂
keep up the great work!!
Thank you, Patrick, for your visit, ‘likes’ and comment! 🙂
Soup season is around the corner! Can’t wait to start cooking all kinds of soups again!
Hello Mary, My appologies for not responding sooner. I was in a process of interstate move. I am in Phoenix now and still not quite settled. Although Phoenix is still warm, but I could use a bowl of homemade hot soup, especially a chowder. 🙂
Soups and chowders are great for fall as the weather cools off and great for the budget, too–this chowder looks delicious!
Hi Nancy, Sorry for the late response. I have moved from the S.F Bay Area to Phoenix, AZ. I am not quite settled yet, hopefully soon, to get back to blogging. I wish I had a bowl of it now! 🙂
My family love chowders.! ! I’m going to make this, that’s for sure. We have a stock of shrimps in the freezer. Shrimps are a staple food in our house. For some reason, shrimps in a dish always make it delicious.
Hi Ren, Sorry for the late response. I have moved from the S.F. Bay Area to Phoenix, AZ to be close to my son. I’m not quite settled yet. I’ll take a little while longer to return to blogging. xx
Fae, good recipe, just bought shrimps…..?. Prices are rising everywhere, here too. And since we live in coastal area husband HAS to have his fish every single day, but when we go to Europe, normally each time for a whole month, I can not afford to buy fish, no way. Need to win lottery to do that ?
Gave a smooth and safe move. See you when you are settled in your new place. Good luck, Carina
Thank you, Carina! It feels like I am moving for 3 months now. I am not quite settled yet. I’ll be back to blogging after a little while longer. 🙂
Oh YUM!!!! I love, love LOVE seafood chowder, so much so that when we were in San Fransisco earlier this year I ate it for breakfast lunch and tea! Loving this prawn version. Pinning!
Hi, Hungry Mum! Sorry for the late response. I have moved from the S.F. Bay Area to Phoenix. Have not quite settled yet. Breakfast, lunch and tea… how funny! 😀 )))
I’ve had a variety of seafood chowders, but not shrimp ones. Will try this one out!
Hi Chris, Sorry for the late response. I am in process of moving from S.F. to Phoenix. Give this shrimp chowder a try. It is easy and delicious!
Looks yummy!
🙂
Mmmm, chowder sound so good! I’m going to give it a try. I tried few recipes in a past and wasn’t too happy with neither of them. Yours seems pretty straight forward and easy. Plus, I love shrimps! 🙂
Hi Vera, Sorry for the late response. I was too busy with the move. Hope all is well! <3
I love chowders and this one, like the rest of your recipes, sounds super delicious!
You are too kind to me, Lovely Persian Mama! xx 😉
This is definitely one for me Fae. The price of food is rising here in France too and my husband is embarrassed as I’m always buying the reduced items. This chowder will be perfect when the nights draw in soon with a nice hunk of crusty bread .
Hi Amanda, Your husband should be proud of your talent in keeping household spending within budget. It is the same here in the USA. The salaries are not increasing as the food prices are. I tend to shop and cook what is on sale for that week. After all, there is more to life than food. 😀 ))) Did you say crusty French bread? Mmm Mmm 😛
Sounds delicious Fae – too bad I just came home from the grocery – next trip some shrimp for sure. Shrimp is my all-time favorite seafood and I especially enjoy it in stir-fries but this chowder sounds so simple not to make 🙂 I wish it was cooler here – maybe later in the week.
Hi Judi, This chowder is well worth the trip to the store for the shrimps. Enjoy! 😀
This is a nice looking chowder Fae, it is my kind of comfort food. I always try to buy my shrimp when they are on sale.
Hi Gerlinde, Comfort food it is, and also can be a decadent treat. (FYI, My husband and I are moving to Phoenix tomorrow. I will be on a hiatus for a few weeks until the next post.) 🙂
Good luck with your move .
We moved on 9/9, still working on it. 🙂
When do you add the milk?
Good question! 😀 ))) Thank you, Terea. I fixed the recipe. Enjoy! 🙂