Seafood Chowder - Dinner With Julie

Ingredients

• a drizzle of olive or canola oil
• a small lump of butter
• 1 small purple onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 lbs. Yukon Gold, russet or red-skinned potatoes, preferably new, scrubbed and thickly sliced (if they are baby new potatoes) or chopped
• 1/2-1 cup frozen, fresh or canned corn kernels
• 3 cups (ish) chicken, fish or vegetable stock, or water
• 1-2 lbs. chopped whitefish, scallops, shrimp or a combination
• 1/2-1 cup half & half
• salt & pepper
• chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)