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Matt Moran's scampi chowder with fennel creme fraiche

Name: Scampi chowder with fennel creme fraiche recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500ml white wine; 100g unsalted butter, chopped; 6 scampi, halved lengthways (ask your fishmonger to do this); 1 leek (white part only), trimmed, thinly sliced; 1 baby fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved; 2 celery stalks, trimmed; 100g speck, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 40.00 ml thyme leaves; 20.00 ml plain flour; 500ml fish stock; 500ml cream; 200g creme fraiche; 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted, crushed, plus extra seeds to serve

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Matt Moran's scampi chowder with fennel creme fraiche

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by Matt Moran

Chef and delicious. Produce Awards judge

Nov 02, 2018

You won't want to skip on this scampi chowder.

2 cups (500ml) white wine
100g unsalted butter, chopped
6 scampi, halved lengthways (ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 leek (white part only), trimmed, thinly sliced
1 baby fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
2 celery stalks, trimmed
100g speck, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbs thyme leaves
1 tbs plain flour
2 cups (500ml) fish stock
2 cups (500ml) pure (thin) cream
200g creme fraiche
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted, crushed, plus extra seeds to serve

Method

1.

Place wine and half the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add scampi and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until scampi is just cooked through. Set scampi aside, reserving cooking liquid.
2.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 50g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, fennel and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until softened. Add speck and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add three-quarters thyme, flour, stock and reserved cooking liquid, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened. Add cream, bring to a simmer and season.
3.

Meanwhile, to make the fennel creme fraiche, combine creme fraiche and fennel seeds in a bowl. Divide chowder among serving bowls and top with reserved warmed scampi. Scatter with remaining thyme leaves, reserved fennel fronds, extra fennel seeds and fennel creme fraiche.