Seafood Soup

I'm not sure if this is a "chowder" or a "soup" or a "stew". I've always thought that chowders had potatoes in them and a dairy product such as cream or milk.
I couldn't' wait for you guys to answer, so I looked it up....

A chowder usually has potatoes in it and it is made with cream or milk and could be clam or corn or another type of chowder. A bisque is a creamed based soup. A stew has a lot of different vegetables and meat in it, but generally doesn't have a lot of water in it. Soup is generally has a great deal of water in it, withe vegetables and meat.

So, my recipe name is correct... Seafood soup.
I know you're wondering why I don't know the name of my own recipe..... because, it is from my oldest and dearest friend, Theda. We've shared many recipes thru-out the years and this one is one of the best she's ever given me.
It's also one that is pricey to make, so I usually only make it during Lent and maybe one other time.
It's kind of like chiopino, only she doesn't call it that, she calls it seafood soup/chowder.

And Theda's theory on seafood? People who say they don't like it, haven't tried it.
I don't know who true that is, LOL

Theda's recipe....taken straight from an e-mail dated October 18, 2007. (her exact words. Remember the old recipe cards with your grandma's recipes handwritten? Well, e-mails are the 21st century's version of those)




Seafood Soup

Saute in a few tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes or so:
small sliced or diced onion
a few cloves of minced garlic
two ribs of celery--diced

Add and bring to a boil for a short while (then turn to simmer)
1 can tomato soup
2 Tbls tomato paste
1 bottle of clam juice
2 splashes of white wine
juice of 1 can of clams--save the clams for the end of the recipe
Some spices--I think that it calls for 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Italian seasonings. I use what I have, fresh or dried.

Add your seafoods (pick what you like or what is at the store and seems fresh. Bite sized )
shrimp--whole or cut in half--I often leave whole
crab
red snapper (or halibut or cod)
scallops--I like the larger ones and cut them in half or in thirds

Cover and simmer over medium heat until seafood is cooked. Add the clams, stir, enjoy with your favorite bread. Hope it tastes yummy.
Theda
*********

Well, it did taste yummy. So, yummy, in fact, that I am now world famous for this soup. Okay, maybe not world famous, but neighborhood famous...with the Friday Night Lent Crowd.

I am entering this soup in "Souper Sundays", a fun soup post hosted by Deb at
Kahakai Kitchen.
You should check it out for a collection of great soups and fun posts.










And to continue on my "what's outside your kitchen window post" (see the post below), a picture of my husband outside my kitchen window.... doing what he does every day, picking up the dog poo.... LOL


And...you can still play along...show me what's outside "your" kitchen window.