Description
This Stuffed Seafood Bread Bowl features a rich and creamy seafood chowder overflowing with shrimp, crab meat, and clams, all served inside toasted sourdough bread bowls. Perfect for a comforting meal that combines fresh seafood flavors with a warm, hearty presentation ideal for dipping and sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood Chowder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups seafood or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lb lump crab meat
- 1/2 lb clams, cooked and shelled (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Bread Bowls
- 4 large sourdough bread bowls
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)
Instructions
- Prepare the bread bowls: Slice the top off each sourdough bread loaf and hollow out the inside, leaving a sturdy shell to hold the soup.
- Toast the bread bowls: Lightly brush the inside and edges of each hollowed bread bowl with olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes to toast slightly, then set aside.
- Sauté onions: Heat olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create roux: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onion and garlic mixture and cook for another minute while stirring constantly to form a roux, which will thicken the chowder.
- Add liquids and seasoning: Slowly stir in the heavy cream, Old Bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper if using. Simmer the mixture for 5 to 7 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add seafood: Gently fold in the crab meat and clams (if using), heating for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through without breaking up the seafood.
- Finish flavoring: Stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley. Adjust the chowder’s seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with additional parsley or a pinch of Old Bay seasoning to enhance presentation and taste.
- Serve: Ladle the hot seafood chowder into the toasted sourdough bread bowls immediately. Serve with the bread tops for dipping, enjoying a cozy and flavorful meal.
Notes
- Use fresh seafood for best flavor; frozen can be used if thawed properly.
- The clams are optional and can be omitted or replaced with other shellfish like mussels or scallops.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the heat level.
- Heavy cream can be substituted with half-and-half for a lighter chowder.
- Serve immediately to keep the bread bowls from becoming soggy.
- Leftover chowder can be refrigerated separately and reheated gently on the stovetop.
