# Portuguese Fish & Corn Chowder



## Margi Cintrano (Feb 17, 2012)

As mentioned in a previous Post, The Gent and I are in Porto, Portugal wine country for the weekend. Today for lunch we had this lovely Cod fish and Lobster chowder ... I believe prawns or shrimps can be substituted for the Lobster if you wish. 

For 2: 

1 Lobster ( optional, and add more salt cod and more shrimp )
3 cups Fish stock
2 pounds of corn kernels from the cobs 
12 shrimp 
1/2 Kilo of Salt Cod
2 tblsps butter
3 tblsps chopped fresh chives
6 tblsps heavy cream
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika Sweet or Piquant 
2/3 cup diced celery
1/8 cup diced carrot or turnip or parsnip 
2 cups onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tomato diced and seeded and peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

*** read whole recipe before beginning ...

1) Pureé 4 cups corn kernels with 1 1/4 cups broth until smooth in a processor or mixer 
2) sauté the salt cod and the shrimp about 4 to 5 mins. Drain on paper towel ( in olive oil and butter ) 
3) Now sauté onions, about 4 mins until golden, add the corn to the same sauté pan and add the veggies and cayenne. Add Fish Stock ( 3 cups ) and let simmer 20 mins. Then add all the peeled chopped veggies.
4) Stir in cream and whisk
5) now season with salt and pepper ( this recipe had white and black )
6) The Lobster: if using frozen, boil for 5 mins in boiling water
7) Drain and let the lobster cool
8) remove the lobster meat from the shell, saute in butter in a separate pan and place as garnish on top of chowder 
9) ladle chowder in bowls
10) sprinkle chopped chives on top of lobster or shrimp 

*** do same with shrimp and cod if not using lobster 
( sauté the fish and the shrimp in olive oil and butter together for maximum flavor ) 

Serve with hot crusty bread and a Portuguese White Wine with Albarihno Grape ... or a Prosecco Italian white sparkling wine or a Rosé from Portugal

Margi.


----------



## HistoricFoodie (Feb 17, 2012)

Wish I could make that, Margi. It really sounds good.

Unfortunately, Friend Wife cannot eat whole corn. She loves it. But, sadly, it doesn't love her back.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Feb 17, 2012)

*Historic Foodie: Corn Allergy: What could Substitute ?*

Would love some feedback here ... 

Let´s sub the ingredient ... would change the taste a bit ... however, corn is sweet; so we need a substitute or add potato and more turnip and veggies --- and more fish ... 

Thanks.  
Margi.


----------



## HistoricFoodie (Feb 17, 2012)

It's not an allergy, Margi. She has difficulty digesting the outer husks on whole corn kernels. 

If I grind them, she can handle it ok. That, in fact, is what led to my development of the succotash sauce/puree that I make. 

Grinding the corn in your recipe, however, would change the very nature of it. 

Something that might work, though, is to sub part of the fish stock with corn stock. Maybe up to a third of it? That would provide the corn flavor, without changing the texture of the chowder.


----------



## taxlady (Feb 17, 2012)

HistoricFoodie said:


> It's not an allergy, Margi. She has difficulty digesting the outer husks on whole corn kernels.
> 
> If I grind them, she can handle it ok. That, in fact, is what led to my development of the succotash sauce/puree that I make.
> 
> ...



Pureeing wouldn't be good enough?


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Feb 17, 2012)

*@ Historic Foodies: thanx for clarifying !*

@ Brook, Historic Foodie,

I am a corn on the cob enthusiast as it is so rare that I get to have some here. *** Corn: it is used to feed the horses and donkies ( neigh ) and piglets here ... However, I adore corn chowder ... It was interesting that the Portuguese employed it in their chowder with tons of cod, shrimp and lobster. The Portuguese have a real penchant for cod fish ... they have a long coastline too ... 

This has been pretty much the story on corn and the Spaniards, however, corn is a large food product for the immigration of the Ecquatorians, Paraguayans and other central and south americans living and working in Spain. So, things, are changing and there is some corn in the Markets, and at the Farmer´s Market Shops. 

Thanks for the info.
I want to try your French historic soup when I get home too ... Just our fish shall be different ...  

Margi.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 17, 2012)

I'd save the water the lobster was boiled in and return the shells after removing the meat and let that simmer to make a stock.  An added advantage would be that it wouldn't necessarily be salted.


----------



## Margi Cintrano (Feb 17, 2012)

*Shrimp or Prawn, or Fish Stock*

Good point about a Lobster stock ... I use the prawn stock ... The shells of shellfish do make wonderful stock --- 

Good input.
Thanks. 
M.C.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 17, 2012)

You're welcome. 

I had just been complaining about the lack of fish stock for HistoricFoodie's fish recipe. Then I read your instruction to boil the lobster and _drain_...hold on, _that's _the start of a fishy stock.


----------



## HistoricFoodie (Feb 17, 2012)

_Pureeing wouldn't be good enough? _

In many cases that would work. But look at the quantity of corn in Margi's recipe. Pureeing that would create a totally different dish; one that might be overly sweet. Certainly it would have a different mouthfeel. 

Normally I wouldn't hesitate to experiment. But look at those ingredients: lobster, and shrimp, and salt-cod. Would be a pretty expensive mistake if it didn't work out.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 17, 2012)

Save the whole corn for your portion.  I divide recipes in half once I am to the stage that certain ingredients are added and continue cooking simultaneously.  One half with and one half without the ingredient that is not tolerated.

Shrek wants his foods cooked softer and sometimes pureed now...I just do that with his half.


----------

