Portavogie Prawn Chowder
A comforting County Down seafood soup made with sweet Portavogie prawns, tender potatoes, crisp bacon, and fresh cream.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 395 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based saucepan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 395 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 395 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat on the hob.
- 2
Add the diced bacon and fry for four minutes until golden and crisp.
- 3
Stir in the sliced leek and diced celery, cooking gently for five minutes until softened.
- 4
Add the diced potatoes and pour in the warm fish stock.
- 5
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- 6
Simmer uncovered for fifteen minutes until the potato cubes are completely tender.
- 7
Crush a few potato pieces against the side of the pot using a wooden spoon to naturally thicken the soup.
- 8
Pour in the double cream and stir well to combine.
- 9
Add the raw prawns to the pot and simmer gently for three to four minutes until pink and cooked through.
- 10
Stir through the chopped scallions and parsley, then season with salt and black pepper.
- 11
Ladle the hot chowder into warm bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Do not let the chowder boil rapidly once the cream and prawns are added, as this can toughen the shellfish. Crushing some of the cooked potatoes is the traditional way to thicken the broth naturally without adding flour. If using frozen prawns, defrost and pat them thoroughly dry on kitchen paper before cooking.
Ingredient substitutions
- Portavogie prawns → raw king prawns or cooked brown crab meat
- fish stock → light vegetable stock or vegetable bouillon
- double cream → single cream or whole milk mixed with a teaspoon of cornflour
Storage
Store cooled leftover chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat until steaming hot, stirring frequently without allowing the chowder to boil.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the prawns, which makes them rubbery instead of tender and sweet.
- •Boiling vigorously after adding cream, which may cause the dairy to split.
- •Cutting the potato cubes too large, which extends the cooking time and over-softens the vegetables.
Serving suggestions
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