Description

Although this delicious, creamy seafood chowder is perfect for special occasions like Christmas, it's also wonderful any time of year. It's full of chunky pieces of scallops, shrimp and crab meat, along with bacon, onion, celery, garlic, milk and half and

Ingredients

• 8 oz. (1 stick butter), divided
• 1/4 c. minced onion
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 1/4 c. minced celery
• 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 c. 2% or whole milk
• 2 1/2 c. half and half
• 2 c. seafood stock
• 1 lb. large shrimp
• 2/3 lb. scallops chopped
• 2/3 lb. crab meat lump or claw
• 1/4 c. cooking white cooking wine
• 1 1/2 T. parsley
• 2 t. paprika
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. salt, or to taste

Steps

1. In a small stock pot, melt 6 oz. butter over medium-low heat; saute onion, garlic and celery until softened and translucent; whisk in flour; cook, stirring so that it doesn't burn. Slowly pour in milk, half and half and seafood stock, stirring constantly while pouring; continue to stir until thickened and heated through. Turn heat to low.
2. On a separate burner, saute shrimp and scallops in remaining 2 oz. butter; cook and stir until opaque, about 4-5 minutes. Add shrimp and scallop mixture to soup; stir in crab meat, white wine, paprika and sugar; simmer and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Season with salt, if desired.
3. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.