Seafood Chowder

750gr cod or any firm white fillet, cut into chunks

500gr green tiger prawns, peeled and deveined

250gr scallops, brown bits removed

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups fish or vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

30gr butter

2 onions, finely sliced

2 tbsp. plain flour

2 cups hot cream or milk

2 tbsp. dill, chopped

• Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan.

• Add onions and cook over low heat until golden.

• Stir in potatoes and flour and toss until coated.

• Add fish/vegetable stock, stirring until smooth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

• Add fish chunks, simmer, and partially covered until fish is opaque (approx 4 minutes.

• Add prawns, and scallops simmer another few minutes until prawns turn pink.

• Stir in hot, but not boiling, cream or milk and heat very slowly, without boiling.

• Season with salt and pepper and stir in dill.

Prawn and Pumpkin Soup

500gr pumpkin

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cups chicken stock

¾ cup cream

125gr cooked, shelled small prawn

¼ lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh parsley

• Peel pumpkin, cut into small pieces.

• Put pumpkin and onion in a freezer bag, place on a plate and microwave on High Power for 7 minutes.

• Stand for 2 minutes, then puree in a blender or food processor.

• Place puree and chicken stock in an 8 cup casserole dish and microwave on High Power until boiling, about 7 minutes.

• Finely chop the prawns and mix with lemon juice.

• Stir into the hot soup with the cream.

• Reheat if necessary on medium power for 5 minutes.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Cream of Crab Soup

2 medium potatoes

180gr butter

½ cup flour

4 tbsp. chopped parsley

500gr cooked crab meat

2 small onions, chopped

1 stick celery

750mls milk

2/3 cup dry white wine

250mls water

1 cup cream

Salt and pepper

• Peel and quarter potatoes, cook in boiling salted water until tender.

• Drain and mash well.

• Melt butter in a large saucepan.

• Add onion and celery.

• Sauté, until onion is transparent.

• Add flour and cook a few moments.

• Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk, water and wine.

• Return to heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

• Season to taste.

• Add lemon juice and potato and simmer slowly, covered, for 20 minutes.

• vRemove from heat.

• Add cream and crab meat.

• Stir in parsley and heat through gently.

• May be put through a blender to give a rich smoothness).

Clear Baby Octopus Soup

500gr baby octopus

4 cups water

2 chicken stock cubes

1 stick celery, chopped

3 tsp. tom yum

1 tsp. grated lime rind

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

2 tsp. chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 medium red pepper, chopped

4 shallots, chopped

• Discard head and beak from each octopus.

• Cut octopus through tentacles into 4 pieces.

• Combine water, stock cubes, celery, tom yum, rind and sauce in large saucepan.

• Bring to the boil.

• Add octopus, herbs and pepper, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes or until tender.

• Sprinkle with shallots.

Cream of Mussel Soup

1 kg mussels

1 cup dry white wine

60gr butter

8 shallots, chopped

½ tsp. curry powder

¼ cup plain flour

3 cups water

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 large vegetable stock cube

¾ cup cream

1 tbsp. fresh chopped dill

• Combine mussels and wine in large saucepan, bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes.

• Remove mussels as they open.

• Strain cooking liquid and reserve.

• Melt butter in a large saucepan, add shallots and curry powder, cook for 2 minutes or until shallots are soft.

• Stir in flour, stir constantly over medium heat for 2 minutes.

• Remove from heat; gradually add reserved liquid, water, tomato paste and stock cube.

• Return to heat, stir constantly over high heat until mixture boils and thickens.

• Add cream, dill and mussels.

• Heat through without boiling.