Creamy Seafood Chowder

Creamy seafood chowder full of flavor ready to customize with your family's favorite fish or seafood. It may not be an everyday dish, but it is a delectable way to enjoy a mix of cauliflower. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (800g)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Liquid from scallop, shrimp and clams
• 227g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ orange bell pepper, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp black pepper
• 450g frozen cooked white shrimp, thawed *
• 340g frozen bay scallops, thawed*
• 1 can baby yellow clams, drained (do not discard liquid)
• Few grinds fresh nutmeg
• Few grinds star anise
• Lime zest and juice to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. *Thaw the shrimp and bay scallops overnight in the refrigerator; make sure to collect the liquid that will drain from the seafood as it thaws. A good way to do this is to place them in a colander or sieve sitting over a bowl. It also helps to place a little bit of weight on them if you can, but that is not entirely necessary. You can always squeeze them gently once they are completely thawed.
2. Add cauliflower, water, chicken stock, liquid from shrimp, scallop and yellow clams to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook until the cauliflower is really soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden on both sides. Lower the heat, add onion, bell peppers, salt and pepper and continue cooking until fragrant and onions start to turn translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Reserve.
4. Ladle the cauliflower mixture into your blender and process on high speed until super smooth and silky in consistency. You might have to work in several batches
5. Return that soup base to the stockpot and add the nutmeg, star anise, shrimp, bay scallops, baby clams and reserved vegetables.
6. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the bay scallops start to lose their translucency and the shrimp are heated through, about 4-5 minutes.
7. Serve immediately and hit with a splash of lime juice. Garnish with a little bit lime zest.