Irish Seafood Chowder Is The Perfect Way To Amp Up A Classic Dish

No trip to the East Coast of the U.S. is complete without a hearty bowl of clam chowder. Whether it's creamy New England style, or the tomatoey Manhattan style broth, it's easily one of the best ways to take advantage of the sea's bounty, per Summer Shack.

While Americans have a right to be proud of their fishy chowder, there's another variant that hails from across the pond which might give our chowder a run for its money. According to Irish Central, Irish seafood chowder is a popular dish throughout the island nation. What was once considered a peasants dish has stuck around thanks to its strong flavor, and warm nature that takes advantage of everything Ireland has to offer. Haddock, salmon, potatoes, carrots, and other goodies all swim around in a flavorful fish broth. It's so popular that Kinsale, Ireland hosts an All Ireland Chowder Festival every year to see who can make the best bowl.

But what makes a bowl of Irish seafood chowder so special?

There are plenty of differences between the Irish seafood chowder, and what we're used to having stateside. Almost any product from the sea or shores can go into a good seafood chowder, but the use of smoked fish, and leeks in the recipe may be a surprise, per The Irish Times.

There's no single required ingredient in a good seafood chowder. For example, this one from Market of Choice makes use of clams, codfish, and shrimp. It also throws in some smoked fish, corn kernels, and plenty of herbs like parsley and chives as well. This combination of salty and briny proteins mixed in with fresh vegetables creates a beautiful contrast in the dish.

All these toppings might seem like they'll be overly filling, but luckily the broth of this chowder is also thinner than what most people are used to. That means there's still plenty of room for some good Irish brown bread and butter.

Chowders are much more than just any cream soup with seafood in it. Chowders will always be associated with seafood, not only because the most popular versions typically include fish or shellfish but because of the word's origins. MyRecipes claims that the word chowder comes from the kettle that fishermen used to prepare their own stews in. So, whether your chowder has seafood in it or not, it's still linked to the long tradition of fishing for food.

There are plenty of great fish soups out there that aren't considered chowders though. Take the French bouillabaisse or Italian cioppino for example. Both make use of seafood and other fresh ingredients, but don't have the same thick, creamy broth that typically defines a chowder.

Taste of Home says that chowder is typically defined by its thick, creamy base and hefty ingredients. It's also served hot every time. There are of course exceptions to this rule though, and Irish seafood chowder happens to be one of them. A good Irish chowder certainly doesn't miss the mark when it comes to hardy ingredients, but it is still a dairy base, and it is lighter than the typical clam chowder. This may be due to the use of wine as a part of the base that Kinsale Good Food Circle is an essential element to this style of chowder.