History

Seafood chowder is the modern Dublin coastal signature: the dish drew on Atlantic Canadian and New England chowder traditions but built on Howth's fresh haddock landings from the 1990s onwards. Every Dublin restaurant with a seafood pretension now runs a version, but The Winding Stair, Klaw and the Howth quay-side seafood bars serve the most credible. The smoked salmon trim that goes in is the Dublin twist on the New England recipe; the parsley garnish came from the Wicklow herb tradition.

Common allergens: Fish, Crustacean, Mollusc, Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 400g haddock or smoked haddock, skinned and cubed
  • 200g cooked Dublin Bay prawns or king prawns
  • 300g live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 100g smoked salmon trimmings, cut into strips
  • 2 medium leeks, white parts only, sliced
  • 2 sticks celery, diced
  • 500g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 500ml fish stock
  • 300ml whole milk
  • 200ml double cream
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Steam the mussels in 100ml water for 4 minutes until they open. Strain, reserve the liquor, shell the meat (discard any unopened).
  2. Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Sweat the leeks and celery for 8 minutes without colour.
  3. Stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the fish stock and reserved mussel liquor.
  4. Add the potatoes and bay leaf; simmer 10 minutes until the potato is just tender.
  5. Pour in the milk and cream; bring to a gentle simmer. Add the haddock cubes and cook 4 minutes.
  6. Add the prawns, mussels and smoked salmon; warm through for 2 minutes.
  7. Check seasoning, scatter parsley, serve with brown soda bread.

Tip from the editors. Do not boil the chowder hard once the cream goes in; it splits. Smoked haddock takes the dish to the next level if you can find it.

Where to eat howth seafood chowder

Howth seafood chowder in Dublin

The Winding Stair ★ 4.4

Irish€€north-inner-cityWed-Sun 12:00-15:00, Sun-Wed 17:30-21:00, Thu-Sat 17:30-22:00

The Winding Stair on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, Elaine Murphy's upstairs dining room above the bookshop overlooking the Ha'penny Bridge and the Liffey.

Signature: Smoked Burren salmon, Irish stew, Brown bread ice cream

Order: Smoked Burren salmon, then a bowl of Irish stew with brown bread.

Tip: Window seats face the Ha'penny Bridge; book three weeks ahead for the four river-view tables. Walk through the bookshop and up.

40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1

The Brazen Head ★ 4.4

Cocktail barTraditional pub€€€the-libertiesDaily 12:00-23:30

The Brazen Head on Bridge Street Lower in Dublin 8, established 1198 as Ireland's oldest pub, the present 1754 coaching inn serves Irish stew and trad.

Signature drink: Guinness with an Irish stew

Food: Full Irish pub kitchen, food to 21:00

Tip: Food served until 21:00 daily; nightly trad music sessions from 21:00. The back snug holds eight; the courtyard runs summer only.

20 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin 8, D08 WC64

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