Champion chowders By Elizabeth Baird

Savour the winning recipes from the 2003 International Shellfish Festival in Charlottetown.

Photo: Tomato Clam Chowder
Photography by Kevin Hewitt

From the winning chowders of the International Shellfish Festival in Charlottetown, The Canadain Living Test Kitchen has re-created the recipes in home-style amounts (no feeding the masses as the competitors had to), while preserving the essence of any chowder and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. We've added another stellar P.E.I. chowder, plus two of our own to round out the selection.

Fish stock

You can freeze this stock in amounts that you'll use in recipes; for example, 2 cups (500 mL). It's unsalted, so you may need to increase the salt in a given recipe for which you use the stock.

• Pour 16 cups (4 L) cold water into large stockpot. Add 5 lb (2.2 kg) fish bones, heads and tails from lean, mild fish, such as sole or halibut (avoid fatty, strong-flavoured fish, such as mackerel and salmon). Bring to boil; skim off any foam.

• Add 1 each unpeeled onion and stalk celery, coarsely chopped; 1 leek (white and light green parts only), chopped; 1 bay leaf; 10 black peppercorns; 6 stems parsley; 1 whole clove; and 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

• Strain through cheesecloth-lined sieve set over bowl; let cool. Refrigerate until fat solidifies on surface, about 8 hours; remove fat. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.)

Makes 16 cups (4 L).