How to Make Crayfish Chowder from The Witcher
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Toss a coin to your Witcher because today we’re making crayfish chowder that will make you go: MMMMM!
This recipe is pulled directly from the Witcher III Blood and Wine expansion pack. Obscure reference? Maybe. But I still made my fiancé play through a couple dozen hours of storyline just so he could get a few shots of this recipe from the source itself.
This crayfish dish can be found at the Cockatrice Inn, located between the Corvo Bianco vineyard and the Dun Tynne castle in Toussaint. This is the fabled crayfish chowder recipe, which gives pretty specific instructions on how it should be made.
While I think the innkeeper is on to something with crayfish, I don’t think Geralt was too far off suggesting substituting white fish for crayfish, especially in a soupy chowder such as this one. We certainly had no shortage of crayfish in the real world, meaning I could make this recipe as close to the game’s suggested method as possible.
With crayfish aplenty, let’s hope we see this recipe on the next season of The Witcher.
We’ll start with a batch of fresh caught crayfish – well, freshly caught, frozen, and thawed crayfish. Surprisingly, whole crayfish were pretty easy to find at the store, with these coming from our modern world’s version of a blue and white starred general store.
The recipe from the game calls for the heads and pincers to be ground up into a paste that will add flavor to the chowder – though honestly, I felt like this step could be entirely optional, especially if you don’t have a stone mortar handy or some useful magic spells to finely grind the shells into a paste.
Many real-life cultures eat shellfish meat, shell and all, but if you aren’t accustomed to this cooking technique, feel free to skip this step. A famed dish at the Cockatrice Inn, this crayfish chowder is a certain delicacy for all who pass through.
Renowned by travelers and knights alike, after dining upon it you’ll definitely give it a solid:
MMMMM.
Here’s What You Need
- Crayfish: Provides the main protein and unique flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps sauté the ingredients.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth to the chowder.
- Garlic: Gives a robust and aromatic flavor.
- Thyme: Adds earthiness and herbal notes.
- Fresh Dill: Provides a fresh and slightly tangy flavor.
- Muscadet or Dry White Wine: Adds acidity and depth.
- Bay Leaf: Infuses a subtle, herbal aroma.
- Chicken Broth: Acts as the base, giving body to the chowder.
- Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess and richness.
Let’s Cook
First, boil your crayfish for 5-10 minutes until they turn bright red. Remove the heads and pincers and set them aside. Extract the tail meat and keep it for later.
If you’re feeling adventurous and have a stone mortar and pestle, grind the heads and pincers into a fine paste. But hey, no sweat if you skip this step—it’s optional!
Sautéing the Base
Grab your large cast-iron Dutch oven and melt two tablespoons of butter until it gets nice and frothy. Toss in the sliced onion and sauté until tender, which should take about 10 minutes. Then, add the roughly chopped garlic and thyme, and sauté until fragrant, another 5 minutes or so.
Adding the Shellfish Paste
If you went the extra mile with the shellfish paste, add it to the pot and stir. Cook until it softens, about another 5-10 minutes. Next, introduce the crayfish tails to the pot and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Deglazing and Simmering
Time to deglaze! Splash in your dry white wine and scrape up all those delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the bay leaf and chicken broth, then bring the whole stew to a simmer.
Final Touches
Stir in half of your freshly chopped dill and season again with salt and pepper. Thicken the chowder with the remaining butter and heavy cream. Add the rest of the dill, give it a final seasoning of salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
Serve and Enjoy
Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve with some crusty bread. And remember, after this meal, you’ll definitely feel like tossing a coin to your Witcher!
Tips for Rustic Crayfish Chowder
- Perfect Simmer: Keep an eye on your simmer—too high and you might overcook the crayfish, making them tough.
- Shellfish Paste: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor or simply skip this step; the chowder will still be delicious.
- Wine Choice: Use a dry white wine like Muscadet for a subtle flavor. Avoid sweet wines, as they can alter the taste of the chowder.
- Consistent Thickness: If your chowder is too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer. Too thick? Add a splash more broth or cream.
- Freshness Matters: Fresh dill makes a big difference. If you only have dried, use about one-third of the amount and add it earlier in the cooking process for better flavor integration.
So, there you have it, Hungry People—crayfish chowder straight from the world of The Witcher. This hearty, flavorful dish will transport you right to the Cockatrice Inn, making you feel like a true traveler in Toussaint. Whether you’re a seasoned fan of the game or just looking for a unique chowder recipe, this one’s bound to hit the spot. Serve it up with some crusty bread, and you’ll be ready to toss a coin to your Witcher. Enjoy every spoonful and maybe even catch an episode or two of the show while you’re at it. Until next time, happy cooking!
Crayfish Chowder from The Witcher III
Ingredients
- 16 oz crayfish boiled, separate tailmeat, reserve shells
- 4 tablespoons butter + more as needed
- ½ cup onion sliced
- 10 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons thyme
- 1 cup fresh dill
- ¼ cup muscadet or dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken broth can sub seafood stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Boil the crayfish for 5-10 minutes until bright red. Remove the heads and pincers and reserve. Remove the tail meat from the tail and set aside.
- In a stone mortar and pestle, grind the heads and pincers into a fine paste. (OPTIONAL: Skip this step if you don't have a mortar and pestle and discard the heads and pincers.)
- In a large cast-iron Dutch oven, melt two tablespoons of butter until frothy. Add the sliced onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes, then add the roughly chopped garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant, about another 5 minutes.
- Add the shellfish paste and stir. Cook until softened, another 5-10 minutes. Then add the crayfish tails to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Deglaze the pot with a splash of dry white wine. Scrape up the browned bits. Then add the bay leaf and chicken broth. Bring the stew to a simmer.
- Add half of the fresh chopped dill and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Thicken the chowder with the remaining butter and heavy cream. Add the remaining dill and remove from the heat. Give it one final seasoning of salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread and TOSS A COIN TO YOUR WITCHER, O VALLEY OF PLENTY!