The weather today was rainy, cold, and nasty. So I was thinking soup or bisque or chowder. I scoured the kitchen and found I had potatoes, onions, and green peppers on hand, but who should be the star? I checked the freezer and found a blend of frozen seafood (calamari, clams, shrimp, mussels, and scallops), so a chowder made the menu. I started with a blond roux and added fish stock, vegetable stock, and some white wine. I rounded out the chowder with creole seasoning, thyme, and a lot of black pepper. I hope you like it.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon creole seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup white wine
3 cups fish stock
3 cups vegetable stock
16 ounces potatoes, diced
16 ounces spinach
16 ounce bag mixed shellfish
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a stock pot on medium add butter and melt; add flour and stir. Cook for 10 minutes stirring constantly.

Add onions and peppers and cook for 7 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

Add creole seasoning, pepper, and bay leaf.

Add white wine and scrape bottom of pan.

Add fish stock and vegetable stock; stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and cook for 20 minutes.

Add spinach.

Add frozen seafood to pot and cook for 10 minutes.

Add fresh shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread.