It’s not surprising that seafood chowder is an Irish menu staple. Seen as a “poor man’s food” the hearty soup made with cream and seafood is right down Ireland’s alley when it comes to wholesome local produce. The popularity of chowder is on display during the All Ireland Chowder Festival , in Kinsale, Co Cork, where about 1,000 people come out every year to taste the county's favorite.
The Irish may be world-class when it comes to chowder chops but what does it take to make a perfect batch? The soup is so old ; its name, itself derived from the Latin caldera , originally meant a place for warming things and later came to mean a cooking pot. The recipe is ever-varying. According to the Kinsale Good Food Circle, good chowder starts with cream and wine, and then varying combinations of the popular basic ingredients are added, including prawns, lobster, mussels, and clams.
Many chowders also featured a vegetable component – chopped leeks, fennel, and celery being popular. Of course, there are healthier options to this recipe using stock and no wine for example but the basic ingredients and natural flavors of this dish will blow you away. And what better way to serve this sumptuous healthy and home-grown feast than with some homemade brown bread slathered with Irish butter? Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients Method H/T: www.ireland-guide.com .
* Originally published in 2015. Updated in 2024..