Slow-Cooker Fish Chowder

Another wonderful, adaptable All Recipes recipe.  This fish chowder allows for great adaptability.  I changed from bacon to ham (because that's what I had on hand), as well as changing the amounts and types of fish/seafood due to availablity and cost.

I'll list the recipe as printed with my variations in parenthesis.  I also liked a tad bit of heat in mine, so added a bit of Cajun seasoning to my bowl.  Ahhh, the beauty of home cooking....make it your own.

SLOW-COOKER FISH CHOWDER (about 8 servings)

4 slices bacon, chopped (6 oz chopped ham, chopped)
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
6 cups chicken stock (4 cups shrimp stock, 1 cup water)
1 cup fresh (from about 1 cob) or frozen (no need to thaw) corn kernels
2 large potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled, it's up to you)
3 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
black pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
8 oz (6 oz) scallops
6 oz (8 oz) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 pound skinless, boneless halibut (4 oz tilapia), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned, 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain excess grease (reserve 1-2 Tbsp bacon grease in the skillet for the veggies).  Stir onion and garlic into bacon grease and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer bacon and onino mixture to a 5-6 qt slow cooker.  Add chicken stock.  Mix corn, potatoes, celery, and carrots into the stock.  Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes.  Set the cooker on HIGH, cover, and cook for 3 hours.

Stir scallops, shrimp, and halibut into the soup and cook 5 more minutes on HIGH.  Stir evaporated milk into chowder, heat thoroughly, and serve.

Adjust salt to taste.  Also add any further seasonings to taste, such as Cajun seasoning.

Recipe Source:  All Recipes Magazine, February 2014, p. 65