Seafood Chowder

This chowder is chock full of seafood and for best results use the freshest available seafood in your area. Choose corn that is sweet and in season.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
Salt
Cayenne pepper
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 cups clam juice
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
4 pounds raw assorted cleaned shellfish, (medium shrimp, shucked oysters, crabmeat, diced lobster meat, whole mussels and clams, etc)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and season with salt and cayenne. Add the bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in the clam juice and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and corn. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Season the seafood with salt and cayenne. Add the seafood and simmer the soup for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and ladle the soup into serving bowls.

Yield: about 10 servings