Lobster Chowder. Recipe by Rachele Bernardo

AuthorRachele BernardoCategoryPrimi piattiDifficultyBeginner

What is the Chowder?

It’s a soup. Often its real and traditional version is source of debates. 

There are numerous varieties and each has its own loyal followers. The real Chowder lovers delight themselves in searching the perfect version, from creamy white to more colorful with tomato.

The term Chowder has its roots in the Latin word calderia or cauldron (in French chaudiere, used by the fishermen of Brittany), it was originally the container where the food was heated; the vegetables or the fish stewed in a cauldron thus became known as chowder.

The thick and creamy Chowder can be found back to 17th century in France… when the ships returned from the sea, each village had a large chaudiere waiting for a portion of the catch to be served at the community welcome party.

Even before cooking books were published in America, the newspapers and the travel reports mentioned the broth and the soup as well as particular recipes. According to Jasper White's book 50 Chowders, the earliest and oldest known fish chowder recipe was listed in the Boston Evening Post on September 23, 1751. The use of herbs and spices shows the typical English taste of the 18th century.

By the mid-1800s the Chowder was a mainstay throughout the northeastern United States.  Clams were used for their ease of accumulating on the shore.

As the country expanded to the Pacific Ocean, the traditions of the fishermen followed it although other recipes for the Chowder were introduced along the way.

 Adding a combination of shellfish, this soup would usually be called Lobster Chowder, if you choose clams it would be called a Clams Chowder.

 On the West Coast (California, Oregon and Washington states) it is also used milk or cream to make it more or less dense.

 In addition, in Oregon they prepare a very tasty Chowder with the addition of fresh corn and salmon.

 My Lobster Chowder recipe includes: shrimps, potatoes, spring onions, carrots, cherry tomatoes, bay leaf, white wine and lobsters with shells... these will be eliminated halfway through the cooking process.

Part of the soup is blended by adding cream, mixing everything together without forgetting a sprinkling of chilli, chopped parsley and extra virgin olive oil.  It is then served with grilled slices of bread.

Directions: