For the life of me I’m not sure if I’ve ever run this recipe before. It’s one I sketched for the culinary school at Silver Dollar City. I ‘think’ it was around 2017 when it was written.
As seafood soups go I have written a slug-bug of them. Maybe I should re-phrase that one. I have made a slug-bug of them! I seldom write one down unless I need to share it with someone else!!!
The inspiration for this recipe originated with our church friends, Peggy & Al Fuller, from Kansas City, Missouri. For many years we would enjoy a Christmas Eve gathering at their home, after services at Church. Peggy always served a pot of soup that she called Yakima Stew. It was one of those recipes that was super quick and worked in the crockpot for serving. She had children out West near Yakima, Washington. Whenever they visited, the kids frequently served their Yakima Stew. Fast forward to Debbie in the kitchen, everything is pretty much from scratch. As a salute to Al and Peggy I wrote a seafood soup and served it for the holiday season.
The recipe allows for lots and I mean lots of your own adaptions which I have featured at the close of the recipe. I have been craving a seafood chowder for the last 2 weeks! Here’s a tip that will save a little money when you’re buying ingredients for a soup of this nature. Don’t spend money on clam juice. Instead peel the shrimp and put the shells on the stove with water and make your own seafood juice. I have done this with fish carcasses too.
This past weekend was fast and furious. We drove up to Lewistown to enjoy the weekend with my dad, Jerry. I enjoy going home during the ‘Business Men’s Appreciation weekend, as you get to see so many folks. We had breakfast out Saturday morning at the Methodist Church and spent the day relaxing and visiting. We had not enjoyed eggplant in the last several months so I prepared a dinner with fresh tomatoes, tomato stuffing, fried eggplant and a meat dish.
Coffee and a store-bought cake finished Saturday night on the patio, as the band played in the park. Nice way to say good bye to summer.
Now I’m home again putting everything away. Rumor, our Corgi, got to go on the trip this time. During the summer we didn’t get to travel with her much due to the high temperatures.
Enjoy your week and find a little time for your mental health and general well-being. We tend to overlook ourselves too often. Simply Yours, The Covered Dish.
Yakima Seaside Chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup of frozen green peas and carrots
1/2 cup white wine
2 teaspoons chili powder (You can always add more!)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces clam juice
1 cup water
2 medium/large Yukon gold potatoes, skin on, diced small
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 cup fat free half and half or regular half and half
4 tilapia fillets frozen or thawed (About 4-5 inches long per fillet.)
1 cup shrimp, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons butter
Sauté onion in olive oil, add white wine, peas and carrots and reduce. Sprinkle with chili powder & cumin, stirring to blend. Sprinkle flour over mixture and remove from heat.
In stockpot over medium heat place clam juice and 1 cup of water. Place chopped potatoes in mixture, bring to a boil, reduce heat and until tender. When potatoes are done add milk, cream, and pan of vegetables. Heat until mixture is warm, but never boiling. Add tilapia fillets. You can actually lay them frozen into the chili and allow the fish to cook until it easily flakes apart (about 10 minutes). Lastly stir in broken shrimp and butter. Heat until shrimp is warm.
This is not a large recipe. As presented this will only serve 3-4 persons. Usually it is doubled. As with many seafood soups and stews this often tastes better the second day!
*Use different types of mild white fish.
Consider using different vegetables: peppers, corn, etc.
Serve with different embellishments: Cheese, crackers, or herbs
Instead of potatoes switch out to white northern beans
