Moqueca Eclipse Seafood Chowder

This summer we visited family in Maine and enjoyed wonderful seafood, from the top-rated lobster rolls (according to Yankee Magazine) at McLoon's Lobster Shack in Spruce Head, to chowders and bisques wherever we could (see more in Cook's Note).

Towards the end of our visit, my brother in law Bob and I decided we didn't want to replicate what we had been eating, but rather, amplify. So Bob suggested, and together we cooked, Brazilian Moqueca - a seafood 'chowder' (no potatoes!) enriched with global spices, but powered by the fantastic seafood available on the Penobscot Bay in Maine.

This dish is plated for the 2017 eclipse as seen in Maine the day after - only about 50-ish% coverage. But you can look at this dish without glasses! (To see the eclipse from Maine, see Cook's Note).

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb large sea scallops, quartered
1 lb haddock, cut into 1-inch pieces
juice of 2 limes

1 large sweet onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, well drained

1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp pimenton, smokey Spanish paprika
2 cans coconut milk

Mix the seafood and lime in a bowl and allow to marinate while the veggies cook. Stir once or twice in the meantime.

Sauté the onion with the red and yellow pepper for about 5 minutes in a dash of olive oil in a large skillet or small Dutch oven.

Add the jalapeño pepper and the tomatoes, and cook another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin and paprika and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil, stirring often.

Once boiling, add the seafood mixture and return again to a most gentle boil.

Salt and pepper to taste and return to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook just until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note: Moqueca typically has palm oil as a flavoring and coloring agent. We didn't have any so we used turmeric which have a wonderful color and flavor to the dish.

On Maine: Opinions on lobster rolls vary widely, but I have to agree that those at McLoo's in Spruce Head are outstanding!

Their lobster 'stew' - is also a most fantastic soup if I ever had one with lobster, and is well worth it!

In full disclosure, I did ride 30 miles on my bike with my brother in law Jim, to the Clyde Lighthouse and back, ending at McLoon's, so we were indeed hungry. But the rest of our clan agree with my conclusions. Disclosure complete.

McLoon's Lobster Shack, Spruce Head, Maine

Notice the half-moons on the wall projected by the small tiny pinhole openings of our uncle's grape arbor - the best way to see the eclipse!

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