Food Nirvana had one recipe for Seafood Newburg that is very good, but I decided to make a second version with intentional variations in flavor. Thus, I created the recipe below.

This recipe is pure serendipity. I was remembering the delicious Lobster Newburg I enjoyed at a wedding reception way back in the mid-1960's and I decided to try making a second version of that dish with a mixture of seafood all these years later (2022).

The recipe may look complicated but it is truly simple to make this dish. Of course, my version of Seafood Newburg is considerably different from what you might find in other recipes for the same dish. Even the other Food Nirvana recipe. One example is using dry cured hickory smoked bacon to provide a subtle but essential smoky background flavor.

My sweetheart Peggy and I were thrilled with how this dish came out. It is stunningly good. We each used two LeGrands® biscuits split open in wide bowls with a cup of Seafood Newburg ladled onto each biscuit. Then we had seconds with yet another split biscuit and a large (one cup) ladle of the Seafood Newburg.

What a pleasant, totally satisfied feeling we both had at the end of that meal!

Note that you should allow time to bake the biscuits if you use them, or time to make toast points, etc. so that the complete meal comes together all at the same time.

Note also that this dish goes very well with a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, chilled.

Ingredients: (serves 4 to 6 adults)

8 ounces of peeled raw large shrimp

4 ounces of canned crabmeat, drained

4 ounces of minced clams

8 ounces of sea scallops

8 ounces of haddock filet

3 strips of raw, dry cured, hickory smoked bacon

1/4 cup of dry sherry

2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of 4% butterfat milk

1 1/2 cups of heavy cream

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/4 cup of heavy cream (for whisking with the egg yolk)

1 large egg yolk

1 cup of grated mild cheddar cheese

1/4 cup of chopped fresh chives

Two cans of LeGrands® biscuits (or other bread/roll type of base).

Directions:

Rinse the shrimp and cut them in half, and put the pieces into a 2 quart bowl.

Cut the scallops in half and add them to the bowl.

Add the minced clams and the drained 4 ounces of crabmeat to the bowl.

Cut the haddock filet into pieces about 3/4"x 3/4".

Mix the sherry, lemon juice and nutmeg in a cup and then pour it into the bowl of seafood and mix well.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the marinating seafood for 1 hour.

Fry the bacon at a low heat in a very large (15" diameter) non-stick deep skillet (or in a 2 gallon heavy bottom pot). When done frying, put the bacon onto a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the skillet/pot.

Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet/pot and mix.

Break up the bacon into small pieces and put them into a small cup. Set aside.

Put the 1 1/2 cups of milk and the 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream into a saucepan and warm the mixture on low heat to 150 degrees F. Do not let the mixture boil. Turn off the heat.

After the seafood mixture has marinated for an hour proceed with the rest of the following recipe steps.

Add the flour to the skillet, adjust the heat to medium, and mix/whisk the flour with the butter and bacon fat to form a roux. Once heated to the point of bubbling, allow the roux to cook for three minutes on low heat with constant stirring.

Gradually whisk in about 1/4 cup of the warmed milk and cream mixture. Then gradually add the remaining milk and cream mixture, whisking constantly.

Adjust the heat to medium, then add the salt and continue cooking until the mixture is bubbling lightly and thickened.

Whisk the 1/4 cup of heavy cream with the egg yolk in a bowl.

Add that mixture to the thickened Newburg sauce while whisking constantly.

Stir in the grated cheese and continue cooking until the cheese has melted.

Add the chopped chives and the bacon pieces and mix briefly.

Add the marinated, raw seafood mixture to the sauce, mix well, then bring the temperature up to 190 degrees F and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the seafood is thoroughly cooked. Do not boil the Seafood Newburg.

Ladle the Seafood Newburg over toast points or puff pastry shells, or serve the Seafood Newburg over split freshly baked biscuits like LeGrands®.

Let each guest add any additional salt or pepper to taste.