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Seafood Soup, Bisque, and Chowder Recipes from the Venus de Milo Restaurant
Note: True European Bouillabaisse is distinctive in flavor and appearance because it is made with several species of fish which are native to the Mediterranean area alone. This recipe is a variation which uses seafood that is readily available in the north eastern United States.
Preparation Time:
Approx. 90 minutes
Yield: About 2½ quarts or 12 servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
3 cups crushed imported Italian tomatoes (crush by hand to insure texture)
2½ cups clam juice
1 lbs. diced haddock (1 inch cubes)
½ lbs. cooked lobster meat
½ lbs. small peeled and de-veined shrimp
12 well scrubbed little necks
12 well scrubbed mussels
1 lbs. small sea scallops
salt as needed
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Method:
In a heavy stock pot heat the oil and sauté the onion, leeks, and garlic
until the vegetables become transparent. Add the Italian tomatoes, the clam
juice, and the dry ingredients and return to a boil. Add the little necks and
mussels. A minute later add the haddock. After an additional minute add the
shrimp and scallops. When the clams open and the haddock and scallops are white
and firm add the lobster meat. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper. Serve at
once garnished with a toasted French bread crouton. Be sure to include a clam
and a mussel with each serving.
A bisque is a shellfish based cream soup. Bisque differs from chowder or a stew in that bisque is smooth and usually strained where-as chowder will contain diced vegetables as well as chunks of meat or seafood. Generally bisque is made from a highly concentrated stock and is very rich in flavor. All cream soups are ruined with boiling so take special care while handling this soup.
Preparation Time: Approx. 90 minutes
Yield: About ½ gallon or 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 each 2 lbs. Live lobster cull
¼ lbs. Butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup chopped onions
¾ cup tomato puree
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cubes chicken bouillon
8 peppercorns
3 ribs of celery
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins
1 tablespoon A1 Steak Sauce
1 pint light cream
Method:
In a large stockpot, combine chopped onions, celery stalks, peppercorns,
bouillon cubes, and salt with 1 gallon of cold water and bring the water to a
boil. Add the live lobster to the boiling stock, reduce heat, cover and simmer
for about 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the stock and place it on the side
to cool. While the lobster is cooling continue to boil the stock so that it may
reduce.
When the lobster has cooled sufficiently to allow handling, shell it over a mixing bowl or pie plate taking special care to catch all the juices. Place the lobster meat on the side for later use. Return all the reserved juices, shells and otherwise inedible parts of the lobster to the lobster stock and boil until the stock has reduced by half.
In a separate stockpot, melt the butter, then add the flour to the butter making a roux. Cook the roux over a medium heat for about 1 minute while continually whisking. Add the tomato puree and cook for an additional minute.
Strain the lobster stock through a fine sieve. Add the lobster stock a ½ cup at a time while whisking smooth. When the soup reaches the consistency of a gravy, reduce the heat and add the lemon juice, salt, Lea & Perrins, A1 Sauce, sugar, and white pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes while stirring.
Slowly add the light cream while stirring and bring the soup back to temperature. Adjust the seasoning. Chop or slice the reserved lobster meat into desired size and add to soup. Serve at once.
Venus de Milo Manhattan Clam Chowder
This house specialty features a clear rich broth with a hearty amount of fresh garden vegetables, clams, and imported Italian tomatoes.
Preparation Time: Approx. 90 minutes
Yield: About 2½ quarts or 12 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups ½ inch dices potatoes
5 cups fresh chopped surf clams
4 cups clam juice
8 oz. sliced bacon
1/3 cup ½ inch diced onion
1/3 cup ½ inch diced celery
12 ounce can Italian tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
salt as needed
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
Method:
Sautee the bacon in a stock pot until it is well done and crispy. Remove the
bacon from the pot and set aside. Add the onions, celery, and garlic to the
bacon grease and sautee for about 1 minute.
Wash the diced potatoes, drain and place them in the pot along with the clam juice. Bring the potatoes to a boil, add the clams and the bay leaves and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Place the Italian tomatoes in a mixing bowl and roughly crush them by hand and add to the chowder. Take the cooked bacon, crumble it and add it to the chowder. Return to a simmer and adjust the seasoning. Serve at once with oyster crackers.
Venus de Milo New England Clam Chowder
This recipe is a variation of our clam chowder recipe which was a multiple winner at the Newport, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts chowder festivals. At the Newport chowder festival the Venus de Milo is a 3 time winner and has been enshrined in the Chowder Hall of Fame. The secret to an exceptional chowder is to not skimp on the ingredients. Canned ingredients may be substituted but the final product will not be the same.
Preparation Time: Approx. 90 minutes
Servings: About 2½ quarts or 12 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups ½ inch dices potatoes
5 cups fresh chopped surf clams
1½
cups clam juice
4 oz. butter
½ cup flour
¼ cup minced onion
¼ cup minced celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2½ cups light cream
salt as needed
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
3 teaspoons dry dill weed
In a separate stock pot melt the butter and sautee the onion, celery, and garlic until the onions become transparent. Add the flour to the butter and onion mixture to make a roux and cook over a low heat for several minutes.
Add the hot clam stock through a strainer a cup at a time and wisk until smooth. Add the remaining potatoes, clams, and stock and bring to a simmer.
Add the light cream, black pepper, and dill weed and return to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning.
Serve at once with crusty bread or oyster crackers.
Bisque is a shellfish based cream soup. Bisque differs from chowder or a stew in that bisque is smooth and usually strained where-as chowder will contain diced vegetables as well as chunks of meat or seafood. Generally bisque is made from a highly concentrated stock and is very rich in flavor. All cream soups are ruined with boiling so take special care while handling this soup.
All restaurants serve shrimp cocktail so all restaurants have a shrimp stock on hand from time to time. I would suggest that you not waste your shrimp by chopping it and adding it to the soup. I would make this Bisque as a utilization of a by-product of shrimp cocktail which is the shrimp stock. A far better way to enjoy your investment would be to prepare a shrimp cocktail appetizer including the seafood sauces you can find on this web site followed by a second course of classic Shrimp Bisque.
Preparation Time: Approx. 100 minutes
Yield: About ½ gallon or 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 lbs. peeled and de-veined shrimp and the shells
¼ lbs. Butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup tomato puree
2 cubes chicken bouillon
8 peppercorns
3 ribs of celery
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins
1 teaspoon dry dill weed
1 pint light cream
Method:
In a large stockpot, combine chopped onions, celery stalks, peppercorns,
bouillon cubes, and salt with 1 gallon of cold water and bring the water to a
boil. Place the peeled shrimp in a cheesecloth bag and poach until the shrimp
are cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp rinse with cold water and cover.
Add the shrimp shells to the boiling stock, reduce heat, cover and simmer until
the stock has reduced by half.
In a separate stockpot, melt the butter, then add the flour to the butter making a roux. Cook the roux over a medium heat for about 1 minute while continually whisking. Add the tomato puree and cook for an additional minute.
Strain the shrimp stock through a fine sieve. Add the shrimp stock a ½ cup at a time while whisking smooth. When the soup reaches the consistency of a gravy, reduce the heat and add the salt, Lea & Perrins, the white pepper, and the dill weed and simmer for about 10 minutes while stirring.
Slowly add the light cream while stirring and bring the soup back to temperature. Adjust the seasoning. Serve at once.
This recipe is yet another first place winner at the Newport, Rhode Island Chowder Festival
Preparation Time: Approx. 90 minutes
Servings: About 2½ quarts or 12 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups ½ inch dices potatoes
1 cup lobster meat (about 8 ounces)
1 cup small sea scallops (about 8 ounces)
1 cup small gulf shrimp (about 8 ounces)
3½ cups clam juice
4 oz. butter
½
cup flour
¼ cup minced onion
¼ cup minced celery
1 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2½ cups light cream
salt as needed
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
Wash the diced potatoes, drain and place in a stock pot with the hot clam stock. Bring the potatoes to a boil, add the bay leaves and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
In a separate stock pot melt the butter and sautee the onion, celery, and garlic until the onions become transparent. Add the tomato puree and cook for several minutes, add the flour to the butter and onion mixture to make a roux and cook over a low heat for several minutes.
Add the hot clam stock through a strainer a cup at a time and wisk until smooth. Add the remaining potatoes and bring to a simmer.
Add the light cream, black pepper, and the lobster, shrimp, and scallops and return to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning.
Serve at once with oyster crackers.
Note: This is an authentic Cajun recipe. Gumbo file powder is the ground leaves of the sassafras tree. This spice has an unusual flavor which is fruity and sweet. It is a strong spice which also acts as a thickening agent when used in adequate amounts. Gumbo file is not readily available in the northeastern United States but the spice is inexpensive and can be ordered online. Okra, is extensively cultivated in the southern United States and is used as a vegetable as well as a thickening agent in soups and stews. Fresh okra is not readily available in the northeastern United States but it can be found as a canned product. If at all possible use fresh okra.
Preparation Time: Approx. 60 minutes
Servings: About 2½ quarts or 12 servings
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons gumbo file
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
3 cups crushed imported Italian tomatoes (crush by hand to insure texture)
3½ cups clam juice
½ cups dry white wine
2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins
2 cups sliced okra
½ lbs. crab meat
½ lbs. cooked lobster meat
½ lbs. small peeled and de-veined shrimp
½ lbs. small sea scallops
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