Creamy Winter Seafood Chowder

Here’s a hearty, Australian-style traditional seafood chowder recipe, perfect for a cozy winter evening. It brings together the richness of local seafood like snapper and clams, infused with native herbs and topped with crunchy, buttery croutons. This chowder is creamy, warming, and deeply satisfying.

Serves: 4–6
Prep: 20 min • Cook: 40 min

INGREDIENTS

Seafood:

• 300g snapper (or firm white fish), cut in chunks

• 250g clams (cleaned)

• 200g prawns, peeled

• Optional: 100g smoked fish (e.g., smoked mullet), flaked

Chowder Base:

• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 celery sticks, chopped

• 1 carrot, diced

• 2 potatoes, diced

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 3 cups fish stock

• 1 cup thickened cream

• 1 tsp lemon myrtle (or lemon zest)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley and croutons

Method

1. Prepare the Chowder Base

1. In a large pot, heat oil or butter over medium heat.

2. Sauté onion, garlic, celery, and carrot for 5 minutes until softened.

3. Add potatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.

4. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove rawness.

2. Deglaze & Simmer

5. Pour in white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot.

6. Add stock, lemon myrtle, saltbush (or salt), and bring to a simmer.

7. Cook for 15–20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Add Seafood

8. Add fish, clams, and prawns.

9. Cover and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes or until clams open and fish is cooked through. Discard any unopened clams.

4. Finish with Cream

10. Stir in thickened cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

11. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes. Don’t boil after cream is added.

To Serve

• Ladle chowder into bowls.

• Top with croutons and fresh herbs.

• Serve hot with lemon and crusty bread.