[THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN]

Chowder scented
with lavender

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This dish was prepared by Robert Santos and Ben Marquez of Maui Community College on "The Electric Kitchen" Sunday. The program airs at 4:30 p.m. on KITV/ABC.

All the recipes from the show, as well as an archive of recipes dating to 1995, are available at the Hawaiian Electric Co. Web site, www.heco.com.

Lavender-Infused Seafood Chowder

2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lavender
1 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped bacon
1/2 cup EACH finely chopped onion, celery and leeks
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
2 quarts fish stock, clam juice or dashi (Japanese soup stock)
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups diced and parboiled potatoes
1/2 cup minced parsley
1 pound island snapper, diced
1/4 pound crabmeat
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced parsley, for garnish

Wrap bay leaves, thyme and 1 tablespoon lavender in cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine; set aside.

Melt 1/2 cup of the butter and add remaining lavender. Remove from heat, cool, strain; set aside.

In a heavy pot over low heat, sauté bacon, onion, celery and leeks in 1/4 cup butter. Add garlic and wine; bring to boil and cook, uncovered, until wine is reduced by 3/4. Add fish stock and wrapped herbs. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. When mixture thins and starts to boil, reduce heat to low. Stirring constantly, cook until roux is toasty, about 2 minutes. Add roux, potatoes and parsley to soup; simmer until potatoes are just tender. Add fish and cook through; add crabmeat and cream. Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon lavender butter and parsley. Serves 8.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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