Seafood Chowder

Scrub the quahog shells under cold running water to remove any sand.

In a large crockpot, bring the water and wine to boil. Add the quahogs, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the shells open. As they open, remove the clams with tongs and transfer to a large bowl to cool. Discard any clams that do not open.

When cool enough to handle, work over a bowl to remove the meat from the clamshells, and place the meat and any juices in a separate bowl.

Add the juices from the cooked clams to the stockpot. Over high heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to reduce the stock.

Place a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth over a large bowl. Pour the reduced stock through the sieve and set aside.

Clean the stockpot and place it over medium-high heat. Add the butter and when it has melted add the onions and cook until they are tender but not browned. Add the celery, stir and cook for another minute. Pour in the reserved stock from the quahogs, and add the fish stock and herbs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, partially covered.

Add the scallops, shrimp and cubed fish. Bring to a simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.

While the scallops and fish are cooking, chop the cooked quahog meat and add it to the chowder along with the milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir and allow the chowder to become thoroughly heated but do not let it boil.

Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately. 204 calories per serving; GL=1, Glycals=1