Shelburn Mussel Chowder with Curry

This Shelburn mussel chowder combines potatoes, tomato sauce, heavy cream, basil, and curry in a gently simmered shellfish pot.

Course Soup

Cuisine Canadian

Keyword mussel and potato chowder, mussel chowder with curry, Shelburn mussel chowder, shellfish chowder with basil, tomato cream mussel chowder

Servings servings

Calories 430

Equipment

1 Stovetop for steaming, parboiling, sautéing, simmering, and final heating
1 Kitchen Scale for weighing 5 pounds of mussels or clams
1 set Measuring Cups and Spoons for the listed cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon quantities
1 Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot large enough for steaming the shellfish and finishing the chowder
1 Pot Lid for covering the pot while the shellfish steam
1 Kitchen Tongs for safely moving the hot opened shells
1 Fork for removing the steamed shellfish meat from the opened shells
2 Mixing Bowls for reserving the shellfish meat and cooking liquid separately
1 Cutting Board for preparing the potatoes, onion, and celery
1 Chef's Knife for dicing the potatoes, onion, and celery
1 Vegetable Peeler for peeling the potatoes
1 Colander for draining the parboiled potatoes
1 Wooden Spoon for tossing the potatoes and stirring the chowder
1 Can Opener optional, if the tomato sauce is canned
1 Ladle for serving the finished chowder

Steam the mussels or clams with the water or white wine in a covered pot until the shells open. Shuck them, reserving the cooking liquid and meat separately.
5 pounds mussels, 1 cup water
Parboil the peeled and diced potatoes, then drain them.
2 potatoes

Sauté the diced yellow onion and celery in the butter until translucent. Add the parboiled potatoes and toss to coat them with the butter.
1 yellow onion, 1 stalk celery, 2 tablespoons butter
Over medium heat, add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, and reserved mussel or clam cooking liquid, keeping the shellfish meat aside. Stir well.
1-2 8-ounce containers tomato sauce, 2 cups heavy cream
Add the basil, curry, salt, and ground black pepper. Simmer for 35 minutes.
1 1/2 teaspoons basil, 2 teaspoons curry, salt, ground black pepper
Add the reserved mussel or clam meat, heat it through, and serve.

Clams may be used in place of the mussels, and white wine may be used in place of the water.