Mom's Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder

Wow, and more wow. I only made half, but this has to be one of the best chowders I ever tasted and made. Next time though, I will add more salmon for the simple reason I like salmon.

This is very similar to the recipe my mother makes (also east-coaster). She doesn't use crab but essentially subsitutes the amount of crab for more lobster. She also only uses haddock not cod and salmon and only uses 10% cream. Additionally, she uses cold water shrimp and puts them in with the veggies to cook. Finally, she adds a pinch or two of curry powder!

delish! took the fat content down a whack by using milk and half and half. still great. even better the next day.

I made this exactly as the recipe called for. It is an expensive dish to make here. I found that you really need to measure the liquids out, as it was too 'liquidy' even after I drained off the water. The cooking time was a bit too long also. I love seafood chowder and even though this was good, I've had much better. Are you sure there's no thickening? After supper, I did drain off again half the liquid and I'm sure it will be much better now. I know you saiud your measures are 'approximate' but even so....we had to 'fish' for the seafood in the liquid. I've also noticed in your picture there is corn, the recipe never called for corn....

This was the best soup! I used catfish that my husband had caught instead of the tilapia (you could really use anything) I also added some Cajun seasoning and some old bay. I put the veggies and potatoes in a pot with 1 carton of chicken broth instead of the water and cooked until soft. So I just kept all of the chicken broth instead of dumping out half a pan of water, then added the rest.

All I can say is...GOD BLESS NOVA SCOTIA!

I loved this recipe. AS the writer said throw'er in...I used all the ingredients i had....no lobster or clams...but had sole and prawns... I especially loved this recipe for its ease of use and flexibility. I didn't skimp on the butter either...YUMM!!!! It doesn't need any changes. It is fabulous as it is. Nice though that you can make it your own. It is a great starting off point for many a yummy soup/chowder.

Totally Awesome!!! Hit with everyone in the house. My son asked why I have never made this in his life time before, HA. Improvised a little; oysters instead of scallops/clams; purple onions, celery and corn for color; used condensed milk for the half-n-half.

I loved this recipe. It is so flexible we add the seafood we love and a fresh bun and this is supper with my husband and I fighting for leftovers the next day. Thank you so much for posting Mom love it!

I'm making seafood chowder for the second time now. The first batch was AWESOME!! and I loosely followed this recipe. I loved the recipe's commitment to the, "throw 'er in the pot!" philosophy. I subbed 1/2 & 1/2 cream for whole cream. I omitted Salmon, and being on the Canadian prairie, I had to use a combination of fresh, frozen, and even canned, products. Luckily fresh is available, but at a cost. This is a great recipe for delicious seafood chowder. I'm looking forward to this second pot. mmmm mmmm mmmm

My wife and I were searching for a Seafood Chowder base when we (independently) came across this one. It's an awesome starting point, but we did tweak it a bit along the way. We added a stalk celery, sliced; approximately 1/2 tablespoon of cayenne pepper (we like it spicy); and some mussels.! We also used a bit of Flour/Water mixture for thickening. It was delicious, and will certainly be made again!

"Best chowder you've made so far." touted my husband. Loved how creamy it was. Added parsley, garlic powder, and corn. Also added bacon as another reviewer suggested. I didn't have all of the seafood but even with razor clams, oysters, and small shrimp, was still yummy. Can't wait to try it with fresh salmon, cod and crab.

Delicious! I did lighten it up considerably by using Almond Milk instead of all the heavy cream and half & half. I also added some Old Bay seasoning and only half the butter called for. This is just due to my personal preference. And I know chowder purists would disagree, but personally, I would much rather sacrifice a bit of richness to save all the fat and calories. Due to using the Almond Milk, I did need to thicken it a bit with corn starch, but it truly was scrumptious and a real keeper!! Next time, I think I will throw in some corn and some celery - yum!!

Wife is from Pictou County, NS and loves her seafood chowder...I'm from the west coast and inherently love seafood as well...this recipe is the best out of the three I've tried...must admit that I cut down on the heavy cream and half and half, added a bit more water with some cornstarch to give it a thicker, smoother texture...heavenly...thanks for sharing this recipe!!!

Loved this chowder. I added a little spice though.. Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and tarragon

This is so good. I omitted the scallops and the crab out of preference. Will use a fish other than cod next time. Added a little fresh lemon juice and cajun seasoning.

I do the "throw er' in" method. Doesn't mateer what fillets you have, or wether you have crab or lobster, I use shrimp, mussles, scallops. Whatever I find on sale, Save it up and make 'er! Use your taste buds. It is amazing!

its very good

I have made this recipe several times, it is excellent! I use different variations of fish - its the best!!

Ridiculously good! I substituted crawfish tails for the lobster and added a few stalks of chopped celery. Topped off each bowl with some sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. This will definitely be a regular dish during the winter months in our house.

Outstanding! I use 2 lbs of of all the seafood plus 2 qt of heavy cream and 2 qt of half & half in a 16 qt stock pot. I make this every Christmas Eve for our family. Let it sit overnight in the fridge and it is so so delicious the next day. Thank goodness I live in Maine on the ocean where seafood is cheap...lol

A little bland and watery. A like a chowder that is a little thicker. The base recipe is good. Added some additional spices and a flour slurry to thicken it up.

This is an amazing recipe as is, everyone in my house loved it (including a very picky 9 year old). I'm making it for the 3rd time today. I now alter the recipe slightly: use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water to boil up the onions and potatoes. Use only just enough to cover them so that there is not too much liquid making the chowder thin. To thicken, I peel a white potatoe and puree it in the blender till smooth. Add the potatoe puree to the soup and it'll thicken up beautifully without altering the taste (use more than 1 potatoe if making a large amount). Generally, I add: haddock, scallops, lobster, crab, shrimp and canned baby clams to my seafood chowder.

I omitted the salmon but left the remainder of the recipe the same. Thought it was very good and rich. Enjoyed it immensely. The reason I omitted the salmon was because I felt it was too overpowering a flavor for the rest of the fish in this chowder. It wasn't what I was looking for. What I made was perfect.

Great chowder. I didn’t add salmon but used shrimp scallops clams oysters crab and bacon. It Was delicious

it is a bit pricy to make i elim. the lobster doubled up on the crab to save a bit it was still real good

Super easy and certainly pleased my New Brunswick clan. I switched the creams - less heavy cream more half and half - plenty rich enough

I always load my Chowder with any type of fresh fish... lots of lobster and scallops! I like to add lemon and dill.

Awesome! I’m also a Maritimer, (grew up in New Brunswick) & have several relatives that were Fishermen, lobster fishermen from St. Andrews, & serveral fishermen from the Miramachi. This recipe is VERY similar to my Grandmother’s recipe that I still use today. (With a few minor changes) We use canned milk & whole milk, (I use 2% on both to cut down a bit on fat) & we use haddock or sole, no salmon. (Nannie HATED salmon...lol) We also use the liquid from the canned clams, as well as some fresh parsley & chives, & a tiny bit of Seasoning Salt & Mrs. Dash. For meat we use Haddock (or sole), Lobster, Shrimp, (usually cooked shrimp as it’s easier) Scallops, & canned clams. Occasionally she would add canned crab meat, but only if she happened to have it. For veggies, we add a few stalks of finely chopped celery, a few carrots, shredded, & of course, potatoes & onions, and LOTS of butter! lol (The butter adds that really creamy texture & just makes it taste AMAZING.) Yes, it’s a VERY expensive dish to make, & not great for the waistline, which is why we only had it maybe 2 or 3 times a year, as a treat. I only make it once or twice a year, usually at Christmas. Back home, where we had better & cheaper access to fresh fish, you could make it a bit more often, but still only a few times a year. It’s meant as a treat type of meal, not in your usual meal plan. But OH what a treat it is! SO yummy! You can also really make this dish your own by adding the types of seafood YOU like. And,

This was absolutely delicious! I didn't put all of the fish in, just salmon, scallps and baby clams from a can. I added frozen corn and some red pepper flakes. My husband RAVED about it.

It's the best one I've found yet.

Love it! The butter.takes it over the top Being a Cape Bretoner it tastes like my childhood Jeannie

Excellent!!! Thanks for the great recipe

I made this but I used leftover Salmon instead of raw.....I also added Old Bay spice and dill weed. Made for a delicious flavor combo!!! Enjoy!!! Very easy recipe!!!

Was so GOOD!! Thanks for the fantastic recipe!

Made this tonight, it was so delicious!! Thank you!

First time I made this I halved the recipe, but we loved it so much that the second time I made this I made the full recipe and froze the leftovers so we can have this whenever the urge hits. The original recipe, while good was too bland for our taste, so the second time I added several ribs of thinly sliced celery with the onions and carrots and added 3 heaping tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning with the seafood. Fabulous. Thanks, Mom!

I didn't use as much butter and I only used half and half cream instead of both types of cream. I also added some of the juice from the canned clams for a bit of extra seafood flavor. Then I added thyme and nutmeg.

My family loves this stew!! Even my daughter, who has a dairy allergy, enjoys it with Almond milk and Fleischman's unsalted margarine (dairy-free)!

Traveled to New Brunswick this fall and had lunch in little Town Called Alma. I have since searched for a seafood Chowder as delicious as the one we had there. This is it absolutely Delicious now I just need to find a recipe for the buns! Thanks for sharing

Wow! So rich.

Easy, delicious recipe. I had everything except the lobster unfortunately. I also used chicken broth instead of water and only drained about 1/2 off at the end. I also only used 2 sticks of butter ( 1 cup ) and it was great! Thank you for sharing

Chowder was less flavorful than anticipated. I didn't care for how runny the soup was, and was looking for a recipe that was more thick and creamy. I wouldn't make this again as I bought all fresh ingredients and it just wasn't worth the $$$ for mediocre.

I made this on a Sunday afternoon for our family dinner. I have to say it was pretty easy. I loved making this recipe. I made half of the a amount of ingredients. I had a smaller crowd and did not need a 20 serving pot of soup. Everyone enjoyed and gave me compliments on the recipe. I recommend to try this recipe if you are interested.

I went to visit my son in Alberta and made this chowder for him and some friends. They said it was the best chowder they have ever had!

Absolutely delicious! I have been trying to find a recipe similar to our local seafood restaurant and this is even better. I only made half the recipe luckily as I don’t have a pot large enough for the full version. Thanks for sharing.

We loved it! I made it healthier by substituting greek yogurt for 1/2 of the cream and all of the half and half. In addition, I reduced the butter by 1/2. I also substituted garlic salt for the salt,

I used light cream and thickened with a bit of corn starch. I also used, corn and other fish, like octopus and squid as I didn't have crab or lobster. It turned out delicious.

Just like I’m makes !

Very delicious. I tweaked it a bit to my liking using less water and adding clam juice. I also removed the veggies before adding the seafood and puree'd them with the heavy cream and half & half because I love a more smooth and creamy texture. My family really enjoyed it. Will definitely make again very soon!

My wife and I love this recipe.

Mmm so good. Have made this recipe several times. First time I followed the recipe exactly. The other times I made it I did alter it taking into account some of the other reviewsers suggestions. The following changes I made were to add celery with the carrots and onions. I used half fish stock with the water. I didn't use any salmon or crab instead I double up the lobster and used haddock. Lastly I added garlic powder and old bay seasoning.

Simply amazing!!!! Thanks Mom!!

Turned out good. I would make it again.

Similar to mine (also from the East-coast) but with the following revisions: I start with bacon - cube and cook it in the pot, add onions and then seafood stock and white wine - just enough to barely cover the potatoes and carrots. Once the potatoes and carrots are 2/3 cooked add seafood according to cook time so that nothing is over cooked. Lobster, clams, mussels, white fish (I find salmon far too over powering), shrimp, sea scallops, snow or King crab - whatever seafood you like. When seafood is just about done add heavy cream, butter, salt & pepper to taste and some fresh thyme and curry powder. Fold in and reduce heat to low. Enjoy with buttermilk biscuits. Finish off with strawberry shortcake.

I added corn and bacon. Excellent recipe. Easy and delicious!

This was a huge hit. We used ingredients that were available and it was really tasty. Read comments, but stuck to the recipe.