Shrimp, Potato & Fennel Chowder Recipe

Last night I was looking back at my post titled Recipes for Winter: Soup, Chili, Stew & Curry and realized there is not a single soup on my site that boasts fish or shellfish as the main ingredient. For a person that will shamelessly lick the bottom of any bowl that contained shrimp or crab bisque, or open a big, fat bottle of Amarone just for an excuse to eat cioppino, this oversight lies just short of a travesty. As I am still making my way through New Year’s Recipes for Good Health in an effort to live long and prosper, I decided not to add cream or milk to this chowder. Now I can lick the bottom of that bowl with a clear conscience.

As I discovered when I made Spicy Potato & Fennel Soup, fennel (also known as anise) has a mellow, pleasing flavor that lends a calming influence to stronger ingredients. In this chowder, the fennel is sweated with onion (cooked on low heat to release some of the moisture) before being joined by the kick of red chile flakes and garlic, and simmered with chicken broth and red-skinned potatoes. The shrimp, the star of the show, is added in the last five minutes so that it does not become overcooked and rubbery.

The recipe:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat.

Add chopped onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in red chile flakes and minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Stir in chicken broth, turn heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add diced red-skinned potatoes, return to a gentle boil and cook until potato is tender, about 25 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and simmer until shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or it will become rubbery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fennel fronds. Serve.

Other soups with shrimp:

Wrightfood’s Shrimp, Wild Rice & Spring Vegetable Soup
Rasa Malaysia’s Wonton Soup
Closet Cooking’s Pumpkin & Shrimp Bisque
Batter-Splattered’s Killer Shrimp Soup

Shrimp, Potato & Fennel Chowder

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium bulb fennel, cut into quarters and thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish
1/4 tsp red chile flakes (or more, if desired)
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 medium red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 lb medium shrimp, shells and tails removed, cut in half crosswise
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in red chile flakes and minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Stir in chicken broth, turn heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add diced red-skinned potatoes, return to a gentle boil and cook until potato is tender, about 25 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and simmer until shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or it will become rubbery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fennel fronds. Serve.

Serves 6.

Printable recipe

Tagged as: chowder, potato, seafood, shrimp