recipe: prawn + nettle chowder

Ingredients

400g diced celery
500g diced yellow carrots
300g diced fennel
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 lb butter
200g all-purpose flour
200ml white wine
1oz cognac
3L cold shrimp stock
1L 35% cream
150g pink shrimp
1 sachet with 1 bay leaf, three sprigs of tarragon, 1 tsp coriander seed, 1 tsp fennel seed and three sprigs parsley stems

Shrimps per person:
2 side stripes, raw
2 spot prawns, grilled
8 to 10 pink shrimp, as is
2 humpback shrimp, pickled with 1 part white wine vinegar, 1 part water, three parts sugar, coriander and fennel seed

Method

1. Sweat vegetables in butter
2. Deglaze with white wine and cognac, reduce
3. Add flour and make roux
4. Add shrimp stock one litre at a time and whisk until smooth
5. Add sachet
6. Soup should still be a little thick once it comes to a simmer
7. Add 35% cream and bring back to a simmer
8. Cook chowder for 20 minutes, add pink shrimp and blitz with a hand blender
9. Pass through a china cap, re-season with salt and more raw cognac, if needed
10. Garnish with blanched and finely chopped stinging nettles and medium-diced russet potatoes. Season with fresh cracked pepper.

Note: All garnishes including shrimp can be tossed in the chowder just before serving or placed in the bowl with hot chowder poured over it.