|
|
Scampi chowder with fennel creme fraicheFrom issue 186 of 'Delicious Magazine' 
15 minutes prep. 
35 mintues cooking
Serves 4 |
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500ml) white wine
- 100g unsalted butter chopped
- 6 scampi, halved length ways (as your fishmonger to do this)
- 1 leek (white part only) trimmed, thinly sliced
- 1 baby fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 2 celery stalks, trimmed
- 100g speck, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbs thyme leaves
- 1 tbs plain flour
- 2 cups (500ml) fish stock
- 2 cups (500ml) pure thin cream
- 200g crème fraiche
- 1 ½ tbs fennel seeds to serve
Method
- 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.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining 50g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add leek, fennel and celery and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until softened.
- Add speck and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add three-quarters 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.
- Add cream, bring to a simmer and season.
- Meanwhile to make the fennel crème fraiche, combine crème fraiche and fennel seeds in a bowl.
- Divide chowder among serving bowls and top with reserved warmed scampi. Scatter with remaining thyme leaves, reserved fennel fronds, extra fennel seeds and fennel crème fraiche.
- Enjoy!
