Seafood Chowder with Squash

Preparation Make the chowder base. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the leek, shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the squash, carrot, and curry powder, season with salt, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the lemongrass, bay leaf, coconut milk, and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook the chowder base until the squash and carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the mussels. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and steam them until they just open wide, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a medium bowl. Remove the mussels from the shells; discard the shells and any mussels that haven't opened. Strain the broth into a small bowl. Once the squash is tender, discard the lemongrass and bay leaf. Process the chowder base in a blender until very smooth and creamy, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pot. Bring the chowder base to a simmer, then add the raw diced squash, potatoes, and turnips and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the radishes, shrimp, and sea bass and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the mussels and red pepper. The soup's consistency should be thinner than traditional chowder—add a splash of the reserved mussel liquid, if needed. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Serve the chowder in bowls, topped with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, the red onion, chives, and Aleppo pepper. Excerpted from The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook by Michael Anthony with a History by Danny Meyer. Copyright © 2013 by Gramercy Tavern Corp.; photographs copyright © 2013 by Maura McEvoy. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. MICHAEL ANTHONY is the executive chef-partner of Gramercy Tavern. In 2012, he recieved the James Beard Award for Best Chef: NYC. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Michael recieved degrees from Indiana University and Paris's celebrated Ferrandi culinary school. He has cooked in Japan and in some of the finest French restaurants, including Jacques Cagna, Michel Geérard, L'Arpège, L'Astrance, and, in New York, Daniel. Prior to joining Gramercy Tavern in 2006, he was the executive chef of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. DANNY MEYER is chief executive officer and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Shake Shack, Union Square Events, The Modern, Maialino, Untitled, and North End Grill. He has long served on the boards of Share Our Strength and City Harvest and is on the executive committees of NYC & Company, Union Square Partnership, and the Madison Square Park Conservancy. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Setting the Table

Preparation Make the chowder base. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the leek, shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the squash, carrot, and curry powder, season with salt, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the lemongrass, bay leaf, coconut milk, and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook the chowder base until the squash and carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the mussels. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and steam them until they just open wide, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a medium bowl. Remove the mussels from the shells; discard the shells and any mussels that haven't opened. Strain the broth into a small bowl. Once the squash is tender, discard the lemongrass and bay leaf. Process the chowder base in a blender until very smooth and creamy, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pot. Bring the chowder base to a simmer, then add the raw diced squash, potatoes, and turnips and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the radishes, shrimp, and sea bass and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the mussels and red pepper. The soup's consistency should be thinner than traditional chowder—add a splash of the reserved mussel liquid, if needed. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Serve the chowder in bowls, topped with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, the red onion, chives, and Aleppo pepper. Excerpted from The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook by Michael Anthony with a History by Danny Meyer. Copyright © 2013 by Gramercy Tavern Corp.; photographs copyright © 2013 by Maura McEvoy. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. MICHAEL ANTHONY is the executive chef-partner of Gramercy Tavern. In 2012, he recieved the James Beard Award for Best Chef: NYC. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Michael recieved degrees from Indiana University and Paris's celebrated Ferrandi culinary school. He has cooked in Japan and in some of the finest French restaurants, including Jacques Cagna, Michel Geérard, L'Arpège, L'Astrance, and, in New York, Daniel. Prior to joining Gramercy Tavern in 2006, he was the executive chef of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. DANNY MEYER is chief executive officer and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Shake Shack, Union Square Events, The Modern, Maialino, Untitled, and North End Grill. He has long served on the boards of Share Our Strength and City Harvest and is on the executive committees of NYC & Company, Union Square Partnership, and the Madison Square Park Conservancy. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Setting the Table