Seafood Chowder

INGREDIENTS

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil or butter

200g bacon rashers, chopped

2 medium carrots, cubed

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 small or 1 large potato, cubed

1L fish or chicken stock

1 cup coconut cream

1 bay leaf and 4 sprigs fresh thyme (tied into a buddle or added to a herb bag for cooking)

500g mussels, washed and debearded

300g white fish of your choice, cut into pieces

150g scallops, cut into pieces

200g peeled and deveined raw prawns

Salt and pepper to season

1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Lemon slices to garnish

METHOD

1. Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil/butter in a large pot over a medium heat. Cook the bacon for about 7 minutes. or until crisp and slightly browned. Take the bacon out of the pan but keep the oil.

2. Add the rest of the oil/butter to the pan with the onion carrot and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for less than a minute. Then add the potato cubes and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Pour the stock and coconut cream into the vegetables, together with the herbs and simmer on a medium to low heat for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

4. Add the mussels and put the lid on to cook for another 4 minutes. Once the mussel shells are open, take them out and keep aside.

5. Take out half of the liquid and vegetables and blend them before mixing them back into the rest. Then add the fish and scallop pieces and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Take the mussels out of their shells, cut them into large pieces and then add these with the prawn pieces into the pot and mix well and leave on the heat for another minute or so until everything is cooked through. Take the bundle of herbs out and season the chowder to taste.

7. Stir in the bacon and sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon slices.