The only thing better than a Sunday is a rainy Sunday. Those close to me know to drop by my house when it’s raining. I get into so much trouble in my kitchen on rainy days! This weekend I had a craving for seafood chowder with mussels. Here’s what I came up with.

This is not a thick chowder. If you wanted it thicker, you could throw in another potato or two. The flavor of this soup is phenomenal and it reheats beautifully. Just throw the whole soup pot in the fridge and when you’re ready for leftovers, take the soup pot out and let it sit on the counter for about twenty minutes before putting it on the stove over a low flame. Take the lid off; a layer of fat will cover the soup. Don’t panic. Gently stir the soup and after ten minutes on a low heat, you’ll have the gorgeous chowder consistency once more.

My parents know good seafood; my mom is from San Francisco and my dad is from Seattle. They polished off the chowder yesterday and raved about it. I’m not sure a Texan could ask for higher praise than having her coastal parents gobble up a seafood dish! I served this dish with crumbled bacon because bacon makes everything better. Here’s how to make my seafood chowder with mussels!

Seafood chowder
Serves 6
1 stick butter
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, peeled and diced 
1 medium Yukon potato, cut into small cubes
4 cups chicken broth 
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp oregano, 1 Tbsp Basil, 1 Tbsp garlic herb seasoning , sea salt to taste 
Half a pound of cod, cut into half-inch pieces
1.5 lbs mussels, thoroughly washed and debearded 
1 cup cream
6 cups milk
6 strips bacon
Fresh Italian parsley, oregano, and/or thyme for serving

1. Wash and debeard the mussels. Discard any open mussels and those with broken shells.
2. In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the diced onions and celery over medium heat until softened.
3. Add the potato and three cups of chicken broth. Cook until the potato is just slightly fork tender.
4. Add the basil, oregano, garlic herb seasoning, pepper, salt, and paprika and stir well to combine.
5. Add the cod and the remaining chicken broth to cover. Let cook for just a minute or two before lowering the heat and adding the cream and milk. Let heat through and then add the mussels. Cover the pot and let cook for six minutes. Discard any mussels that do not yawn open.
6. When you’re about ready to serve, cut bacon into lardons and cook until crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
7. Serve with bacon and a sprinkling of herbs.