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Shrimp-Tortellini Chowder

Shrimp, cheese tortellini, and frozen artichokes move in together here to create a new-style filling and quick seafood chowder. While you could skip or replace the fennel or the leeks with additional celery and onions, you'll have a more complex, captivating, and luscious stew when you include them. Here, I use a cheater's version of fish stock but you can cook up your own if you like. Frozen shrimp and refrigerator-case or frozen tortellini make this stew an easy pantry dish. A salad and/or my Parmesan-Pepper Corn Muffins round out the meal along with a happy bottle of California Chardonnay.
4 generous servings or 6 smaller servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, cut into medium dice (Or use food processor for all of the vegetables and the parsley.)
  • 1 EACH: medium carrot, celery stalk, large leek (white and light green parts only, sliced), small fennel bulb--cut into medium-dice
  • 1 EACH: teaspoon dried thyme and dried oregano
  • Handful fresh parsley, minced
  • Bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Morton's.)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Large plump clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) dry white wine such as Chardonnay
  • 2 (16-oz) Bottles clam juice (Shake well before using.)
  • 4 cups (32 oz) vegetable broth (homemade or Swanson's)
  • 1 cup (8 oz) water or more as needed to keep soup brothy as it cooks
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose, unbleached flour
  • 1 cup (8 oz) whole milk
  • 9 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (I used fresh Buitoni from the refrigerator case in the grocery, which cooks in 5 minutes. Check directions for the brand you choose.)
  • 1/2 pound (8-ounces) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tailed -- chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup frozen or jarred artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed well, diced and sautéed in olive oil/seasoned with salt and pepper -- for garnish
  • 1/2 cup (2.5 oz) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese -- for garnish

Instructions

  • SAUTÉ VEGETABLES: Heat butter in an 8-qt soup pot over medium flame. Add vegetables, herbs, and spices (onion - crushed red pepper) and cook, stirring for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic.
  • ADD WHITE WINE. Stir to deglaze the pot. Simmer a few minutes until wine is absorbed.
  • ADD CLAM JUICE, BROTH, AND WATER. Stir. Cover; raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce to simmer, and cook 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste; add salt or pepper as needed.
  • WHISK FLOUR INTO MILK in a cup and whisk the slurry into the soup. Simmer a few minutes to thicken the broth a little.
  • ADD TORTELLINI and cook about 3 minutes. (Check tortellini package directions and add/subtract cooking time if necessary.) ADD SHRIMP and artichoke hearts and cook another two minutes or until tortellini is done and shrimp is pink and just barely firm. Taste and adjust seasonings. Do not overcook. Remove from heat.
  • SERVE HOT at once garnished with cooked asparagus pieces and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Pass pepper grinder at table.
    LEFTOVERS: While best served just as it's made, you can store for a day or two in the fridge. Gently re-heat this chowder, adding some milk or broth as you do because it will have thickened greatly. Heat over medium -low heat until just hot; do not boil. Taste and season again as necessary.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD? While shrimp dishes aren't easy to make-ahead as shrimp so easily overcooks, here you can sauté the vegetables and make the broth a day ahead, chilling it overnight.  Next evening, heat until simmering and proceed from there, adding the milk slurry and then the rest of the ingredients.