The Seafood Restaurant Cookbook
Cod and mussel chowder recipe
Rick Stein and Jill Stein | 01 Jul 2026
Recipe from The Seafood Restaurant Cookbook
by Rick Stein and Jill Stein
A “classic” American chowder varies according to region and ours is inspired by wonderful trips to New England, where the chowders come with a milk base and potatoes, salt pork, cod and some kind of shellfish – often lobster or clams. We use mussels, which are so abundant on our own Cornish coastline.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 20 fresh mussels
- 30g butter
- 60g salt pork, cut into small dice
- 120g onions, diced
- 300ml whole milk
- 120ml double cream
- 1 bay leaf, sliced (preferably a fresh one)
- 240g potatoes, cut into 5cm dice and not washed (you need the starch to thicken the liquid)
- 120g skinless cod fillet, cut into 5cm pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a small amount of chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
- 2 water biscuits, crushed, to serve
Method
- Clean the mussels and open them by placing them in a pan with a splash of water and steaming them over a high heat with a lid on the saucepan. As soon as the mussels open, take the pan off the heat and drain the mussels through a colander, saving the cooking liquor in a bowl underneath.
- When the mussels have cooled enough to handle, remove the meats from the shells and take out the beards. Discard the shells and beards and set the meats aside.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the diced pork and fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is beginning to brown. Then, add the onions and fry for 3–4 minutes until soft.
- At the same time, pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and add the bay leaf. Place the pan over a medium heat, tip in the potatoes and bring them to the boil. Simmer until firm but not raw (about 10–12 minutes). Add the pork and onions and the reserved cooking juice from the mussels and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, if necessary, and black pepper.
- Add the cod pieces and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the fish is cooked, then remove the pan from the heat and add the mussels (it’s important that you don’t continue to cook at this point, or you will toughen the mussels up).
- Pour the chowder into a serving tureen or 4 warmed bowls and finish with the chopped parsley and crushed water biscuits.
Jack's chef notes
This is a real winter warmer – wholesome East Coast American comfort food of the kind that really sets you up for the colder months of the year.
Charlie's wine notes
I’m a fan of the texture and thrust of a good white Bordeaux for our Cod and Mussel Chowder. They are a great match.
