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Seafood 
Soup & Stews
Seafood Soup

James's Seafood Irish Coddle

1 ounce butter
8 slices Irish bacon (made from pork loin and thickly sliced)
8 large Irish sausages (very peppery and spicy)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 whole leeks, well rinsed and finely diced
1 pound shallots (or pearl onions), peeled
8 cups water
8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 pound mussels
1 pound Dublin Bay prawns (shrimp)
1 pound cockles (clams)
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 ounce fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Chopped chives for garnish

In a large pot, sauté the bacon, sausage, garlic, leeks and shallots in butter for 5 minutes.  Add the water and potatoes and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the mussels, prawns, cockles, parsley, thyme and bay leaf and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.  When the potatoes are soft enough to break apart, the coddle is done.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped chives.

Seafood coddle is best served with and crusty, thick slices of bread and Irish cheddar cheese.