Description
Cozy up this Christmas Eve with a hearty Seafood Chowder topped with crispy, homemade Cornbread Croutons. This recipe brings warmth and connection to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound mixed seafood (cod, shrimp, scallops)
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 4 cups fish or vegetable broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For Cornbread Croutons: 1 cup cornbread mix, ingredients called for on box (milk, egg, oil)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (for tossing croutons)
Instructions
- Prepare the cornbread first according to package directions. Bake until done, let cool completely, then cut into small cubes for croutons.
- In a large pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings.
- Add the chopped onion and celery to the pot with the bacon drippings. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the diced potatoes and continue to simmer until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and frozen corn. Heat through, but do not boil.
- Add the mixed seafood and cook gently until the seafood is opaque and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
- Season the chowder with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Toss the cooled cornbread cubes with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Briefly toast them in a dry skillet or in the oven until golden brown and crisp.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls and top generously with the warm cornbread croutons and reserved bacon pieces.
Notes
- You can substitute store-bought cornbread if time is short, but homemade croutons add extra flavor.
- Adjust the amount of broth and cream to achieve your desired chowder thickness.
- Use fresh or frozen corn; either works well in this recipe.
- Taste the seafood before adding salt, as some varieties can be naturally salty.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: Estimate needed
- Sugar: Estimate needed
- Sodium: Estimate needed
- Fat: Estimate needed
- Saturated Fat: Estimate needed
- Unsaturated Fat: Estimate needed
- Trans Fat: Estimate needed
- Carbohydrates: Estimate needed
- Fiber: Estimate needed
- Protein: Estimate needed
- Cholesterol: Estimate needed