Scampi chowder

This luxurious seafood chowder, a favourite of actress Danielle Cormack, balances delicate scampi with smoky speck and aromatic vegetables in a silky, creamy base.

Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 ml white wine
• 100 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 6 scampi, halved lengthways
• 1 leek (white part only), trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 baby fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed
• 100 g speck, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 500 ml fish stock
• 500 ml pure thin cream

Instructions

1. Place wine and half the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add scampi and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until scampi is just cooked through. Set scampi aside, reserving cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 50 g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, fennel and celery and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until softened.
3. Add speck and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add three quarters of the thyme, flour, stock and reserved cooking liquid, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened.
4. Add cream, bring to a simmer and season.
5. Divide chowder among serving bowls and top with reserved warmed scampi. Scatter with remaining thyme leaves and reserved fennel fronds.

Watch how to make this recipe on Memory Bites with Matt Moran.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.