[Balboa, Cuidad de Panamá, Rep. of Panamá; 08º 56'N/079º 33' W]

This chowder is an adaptation of chowders served at Ray's Boathouse Restaurant in Seattle, WA, USA.  Ed of the Westsail 42, Kuay, prepared this chowder for the crowd (which included us) who filled the enormous cockpit of his boat while moored near the Panamá Canal at Balboa in January 2007.  It's so wonderful it's way too easy to eat too much!  

1/2 cup butter

1 lb red potatoes, cubed, skin on

1 stalk celery

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 white onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cups fish stock or clam broth

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

3 cups heavy cream

2 cups half and half

14 ounces clams, chopped with juice

12 ounces crab meat (e.g., Dungeness)

Melt butter in a 5 quart stockpot over med to high heat.  Add potatoes, celery, onion, bell pepper and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add flour and stir to make roux (be careful to continuously stir to avoid burning roux).  Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pepper, salt, thyme and bay leaf.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.  Add cream, half and half and slowly bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Add clams and crab and continue to heat for a few more minutes.  Serve iwith optional garnish of chopped chives.

Recipe serves 10 as a main course!