SERVES 8 – 10
PREP TIME 0 minutes
COOK TIME 1 minutes
INGREDIENTS
MUSSELS:
4 to 5 lb. live (closed) Alaska mussels in shell, washed and de-bearded
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced shallots
1/2 cup minced garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh parsley
6 to 8 arbol chilies
1 bottle of dry white wine
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 to 1 lb. alderwood chips, moistened
CHOWDER:
1 lb. bacon, diced
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. chopped Alaska Grown yellow onions (1 large onion)
8 oz. Alaska Grown carrots (about 2 to 3 carrots)
8 oz. chopped Alaska Grown celery (about 4 stalks)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart Alaska Grown milk
1 pint heavy cream
2 to 3 sprigs thyme
2 to 3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
3 pounds Alaska Grown red potatoes, diced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS
MUSSELS:
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add mussels, thyme, parsley and chilies; stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes; deglaze by adding wine and chicken stock. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until mussels have opened. Remove mussels from broth, keeping some in shell for presentation, if desired; refrigerate mussels while smoker is heating up. Simmer broth on low heat until it has reduced in volume by half, to about 5 to 6 cups broth. Strain broth through a sieve into a bowl; reserve. Once the mussels have chilled, place them (and shell) on smoker racks and in a smoker with moistened alder chips. Smoke for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove smoked mussels from their shells and reserve meat for later use.
CHOWDER:
In a large pot or skillet over medium heat, sauté bacon until it has rendered its fat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add butter and melt. Stir in onions, carrots and celery; cook over medium heat just until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in flour to make a roux and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually stir in milk, cream and reserved mussel broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, hot sauce and paprika. Stir in potatoes and about 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Fold in the smoked mussels (or other seafood; if using fresh fish, just add cubed pieces), stir and cook just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper or hot sauce as needed. Garnish, if desired, with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Recipe by Chef Clayton Jones, Private Chef, Anchorage, AK
SOURCE: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Find more recipes at WildAlaskaSeafood.com
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