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 Serves 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.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat howth seafood chowder

Howth seafood chowder in Dublin

The Winding Stair ★ 4.4

Irish€€north-inner-city

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 Book →

Klaw ★ 4.5

temple-barDaily 12:00-22:00

Klaw on Crown Alley in Temple Bar, Niall Sabongi's seafood counter pulling Carlingford oysters and warm Lambay-crab and lobster rolls, the city's seafood street pick.

Try: Lobster roll and oysters

Tip: Counter sits fifteen; the lobster roll is EUR 18 at lunch. Walk-in only.

5a Crown Alley, Dublin 2

The Brazen Head ★ 4.4

Traditional pubthe-liberties

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 sessions nightly.

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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