This fish chowder with coastal greens recipe is fabulous and can stand with a huge array of coastal veg, from marsh samphire to sea beet and sea blite, everything wild and edible at the coast has the potential to make an appearance in the fish chowder band.
One thing I like to do with this recipe is to cook all of the elements, the bacon, the stock & potatoes & then take that down to the coast in a suitable tub or bag. Head for a coastal forage picking wild ingredients and then heating it all back up with the addition of wild ingredients right there over a little fire at the coast. It’s a beautiful way to experience and enjoy your bounty surrounded by the environment it grows in.
Don’t just stop with coastal greens, if you’re up for it you can also take a dip into the ocean or clamber across the rocky shores searching for edible seaweed to add an umami element to the dish. Some of my favourite seaweeds for this dish are:
All species of wrack (the top 5 cm /tips), dulse seaweed (adding a boost of bacon flavour), Sea Lettuce (this works really nicely diced up, popped in the bowl and pouring the chowder on top whilst serving), and of course the star of the shores Sea Truffle / pepper dulse (I sprinkle this on top to add an earthy truffle flavour.
Serves 4
Ingredients for our Fish Chowder with Coastal Greens:
- 500ml Fish Stock
- 300ml Milk or cream
- 300g new potatoes, halved
- 50g fatty bacon or 2 rashers
- 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
- Handful mixed wild greens: Sea Aster, Sea Purslane, Sea Beet, Marsh Samphire, Sea Blite, Nettle and much more can be used
- Seaweed salt and Alexander seed pepper to flavour or regular salt and pepper
Method:
In a deep pan add a little butter and fry off the onion and bacon until browned
Pour in the stock a bring to a boil and add the potatoes, cook for 10 minutes or until softened
To the stock add your milk, mixed seafood, wild greens and cook for a further 5 minutes until all heated nicely.
Serve with a sprinkling of seaweed salt and alexander seed pepper and enjoy with a thick-cut buttered slice of bread
Fish Chowder with coastal greens
Here’s a video of us foraging and cooking one up
Find more of our foraging videos right here
Find all of our coastal Foraging Guides here
