{"id":2180,"date":"2009-12-01T15:07:00","date_gmt":"2009-12-01T20:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=2180"},"modified":"2024-10-10T12:19:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T16:19:51","slug":"mariners-menu-seafood-soups-a-fine-kettle-of-fish-shellfish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/mariners-menu-seafood-soups-a-fine-kettle-of-fish-shellfish\/","title":{"rendered":"Mariner’s Menu: Seafood Soups: A Fine Kettle of Fish & Shellfish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Excerpted from Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chock full of vegetables and seafood, soups and stews make a hearty meal. On a cold day, a hot bowl of scallop bisque or old-fashioned clam chowder needs only a good crusty bread or cornbread to round it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restaurants and gourmets often serve soup as the first course of a large meal. But many of us consider these warm, tasteful bowls of goodness to be a light lunch or the main course at dinner. Seafood soups such as stews, chowders and bisques offer a variety of delicious meals. They can look elegant, too, as many recipes call for ingredients such as clams in the shell, soft or hard crabs or shrimp in the shell. Made ahead, these seafood hits make the perfect solution for entertaining large groups of family or friends. And soups can be especially healthful because all the nutrients are reserved in the liquid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lean, white, firm fish cook best in soups. Delicate, fatter fish break apart. Grouper and catfish are ideal. Medium firm fish such as snapper, flounder and spotted sea trout work equally as well. As in all seafood cookery, handle fish carefully. And always avoid overcooking, which causes dryness and toughness. Yes, this happens even though the fish or shellfish is being cooked in water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that you can always substitute species. Go to the market to buy fresh fish that is in season, not a particular species. And use your favorite seasonings. It’s often a good idea to follow a recipe the first time you make a dish, then modify it to your tastes the next time. Use the ingredients that you enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on selecting fish and shellfish, go to ncseagrant.ncsu.edu<\/a> or check the Mariner’s Menu<\/em> blog<\/a> at marinersmenu.org<\/a>. Here are just a few soup and chowder recipes from Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas<\/em><\/a>. If you want North Carolina Sea Grant’s complete seafood resource book, check local stores, or call 919\/515-9101 for ordering information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She-Crab Soup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n