Recipe: Coconut Fish Chowder (using clam juice)

COCONUT FISH CHOWDER

"All three of my kids attended Seabury Hall, a prep school located high up on the beautiful slopes of Maui's Haleakala. Every spring the school held a fundraising fair, and we participated with a Merriman's booth. Jessie, my youngest, says that the teachers would start pestering her right after the first of the year. "Is your dad coming to the fair-and is he going to make the fish chowder?" Now that my kids are out of school, I wanted to make sure the Seabury faculty could cook the chowder themselves."



"And by the way, this soup base is also great with lobster or tofu."

FOR THE CHOWDER:
1 cup clam juice
(1/2-inch) piece fresh galangal or fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 stalks lemongrass, white stems cored and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons) green tops kept whole
1 tablespoon nam pla or nuoc nam
1 teaspoon sriracha or sambal oelek
1 (13-14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
12 sea scallops, abductor muscle removed
1 pound halibut or other mild, firm white fish
FOR ASSEMBLY:
4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves or cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, whole or large pieces
1/8 medium red onion, julienned
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts

TO PREPARE THE CHOWDER:
Place clam broth, galangal and lemongrass stems and tops in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add nam pla, sriracha and coconut milk. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes more.

About 10 minutes before serving, bring broth to a boil and add the seafood. Return mixture to boiling. Roll or crumble lime leaves, if using, and add. Kaffir lime leaves are not edible. Cover, reduce heat as low as possible and simmer for 5 minutes. While the chowder cooks, toast peanuts in a dry skillet until just fragrant.

ASSEMBLE:
Remove lemongrass tops. Ladle chowder into bowls and top each serving with a quarter of the mint, peanuts, red onion and bean sprouts, or serve garnishes in separate dishes and allow diners to help themselves.

Serves 6 as an appetizer or serves 4 as a main course
Source: Merriam's Hawaii: The Chef, the Farmers, the Food, the Islands by Peter Merriman and Melanie P. Merriman. (Story Farm, October 2015; $39.95/hardcover; ISBN: 978-0-9905205-8-0).