Red emperor seafood chowder

Melissa Frohloff’s seafood chowder recipe comprises red emperor for a spectacular-tasting meal.

Red emperor and prawn stock

• 1 red emperor head
• 250g prawn heads
• Water
• 1 bulb garlic

Method

1. Remove heads from green prawns.
2. Place prawn heads and red emperor head into boiler and cover with water.
3. Cut top and bottom off garlic bulb and place in boiler.
4. Bring to the boil, reduce to a low heat and simmer until meat starts to break away from the fish head.
5. Remove from heat and strain the stock, keeping all the liquid.

White wine stock

• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tsp freshly chopped garlic
• 1 onion diced
• 1/2 cup white wine (Riesling)

Method

1. In a shallow pan, lightly fry onion and butter then add garlic and Riesling.
2. Slowly simmer and reduce by half to make a white wine stock.

Seafood Chowder

• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 60g butter
• 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• white wine stock
• 4 cups fish and prawn stock
• 400g red emperor, cut into 2cm cubes
• 500g green prawns
• 250g cleaned scallops
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup cream
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Partially boil potatoes in a small saucepan, then strain.
2. Heat 30g butter in a large saucepan, add bacon.
3. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes; remove bacon and set aside.
4. Add remaining butter, stir in leek, carrot and celery.
5. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the vegetables soften and are lightly golden.
6. Add flour and cook for one minute; then add potatoes, white wine stock and fish stock all at once.
7. Cook over medium heat, stirring for five minutes or until smooth and thickened. Simmer for five minutes uncovered.
8. Add fish pieces and cook for five minutes.
9. Add scallops, prawns, parsley and bacon, stirring frequently over a medium heat for a further five minutes.
10. Add cream, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for five minutes without boiling.

Serves 6-8

TIPS

• Red emperor is a beautiful, white, firm-fleshed fish with very little oil.
• The fish has a huge head and this recipe allows you to use more than just the fish fillets.
• Darker fleshed fish may give the chowder an oily taste and greyish tinge.
• You can prepare the fish stock in advance and freeze for use at a later date.