Among the many dishes that warm the kitchens of Hyrule, the cream stew has quite the storied past. While the earliest versions of these soups arose in the eastern farmlands of Necluda, where the villagers of Hateno used fresh milk to simmer vegetables and mushrooms, the coastal residents of Lurelin Village soon discovered its potential when these cream stew recipes made their way to the Faron coast.
The fishermen and cooks of Lurelin village adapted the creamy broth to the flavors of the ocean. The result was a dish that became the Hyrulean equivalent of chowder: a gentle, nourishing seafood stew whose pale, silky broth carried the delicate sweetness of freshly caught fish and the briny depth of shellfish. As Lurelin’s reputation as a fishing village grew, travelers and merchants who visited carried the recipe with them, spreading its influence to kitchens across Faron and beyond. Much like the landward cream stews of Hateno and Lon Lon, these seafood adaptations became equally celebrated.
“Thick-cut chunks of seafood and stock provide a satisfying savoriness."
A combination of white fish filets, shrimp, and clam juice will be used to bring this soup to life. Tender chunks of firm white fish and sweet shrimp are gently cooked in the broth along with carrots, potatoes, and baby bok choy. The soup is enriched with a lightly seasoned béchamel sauce, resulting in a smooth, comforting, and subtly briny bowl. I can think of little that would be more satisfying than a bowl of this soup while watching the sun set over the Faron shores on a cool Lurelin evening.
Ingredients
4-6 white filets (cod, haddock, halibut), cut into large 2 inch chunks
½–1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small onion, diced
3–4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2–3 baby bok choy
1 ¼ tsp salt, divided, plus additional
½ tsp black pepper, plus additional
⅛ tsp nutmeg
5–7 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup clam juice
3 cups milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1-3 tbsp olive oil
2–3 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
4-6 white filets (cod, haddock, halibut), cut into large 2 inch chunks
½–1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small onion, diced
3–4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2–3 baby bok choy
1 ¼ tsp salt, divided, plus additional
½ tsp black pepper, plus additional
⅛ tsp nutmeg
5–7 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup clam juice
3 cups milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1-3 tbsp olive oil
2–3 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
We begin this recipe by ensuring we have our fish properly prepped. I recommend using skin on filets to more closely match the look of the fish in the game recipe. You want large 2 inch pieces of fish. A typical rectangular skin-on filet can probably be cut into three equal sizes pieces to accomplish this.
Once your fish is cut into pieces, season them with salt and pepper on both sides.
We can prepare the fish in one of two ways. The fish can be pan seared and then added into the individual serving bowls once the soup is finished, or we can poach the fish pieces in the broth right before serving. Either option is viable for this stew.
If you are using the seared method, pat the fish very dry and sear the pieces in a wide pan over medium-high heat with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the fish pieces e for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they are just cooked through and the skin is crisp. You will likely have to sear the fish in batches. Once all of the fish pieces have been cooked, reserve them on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep them warm.
Alternatively, the fish may be poached directly in the soup later for a softer, more integrated texture.
To build the soup, set a large pot over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3–5 minutes.
Stir in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and allow the aromatics to bloom for about 30 seconds to one minute. Add the chicken broth and clam juice. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and then add the chopped carrots and potatoes along with about 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Allow the soup to simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.
While the vegetables cook, prepare the bok choy by trimming off the base so the leaves separate easily. Rinse thoroughly to remove any grit and set aside to drain.
Now we will make the béchamel sauce. Set a separate small pot over low heat. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk the flour into the butter to create a smooth roux. Allow the flour to cook for about 2 minutes, but do not allow it to brown.
After the 2 minutes, start slowly whisking in the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, about 2-3 tablespoons at a time and completely whisk it into the roux before adding more. Continue this process until the full three cups of milk have been whisked in. Once all of the milk has been added, add ¼ teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg. Whisk the salt and nutmeg into the sauce to fully blend. Turn the heat up to low-medium and allow the béchamel sauce to thicken a little more, about 3-5 minutes. When the béchamel sauce is done, remove it from the heat.
Once the vegetables are soft, we can proceed with the final ingredients to the soup. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup and discard them.
If poaching the fish pieces, lower the soup to a gentle simmer and add the raw fish pieces, cooking 6–8 minutes until just done
Add the shrimp to the soup, and for cook 2–3 minutes more, until the shrimp are Orange and opaque.
Remove the pot from the heat. Temper the béchamel by whisking in one or two ladlefuls of hot broth, then slowly pour the tempered béchamel into the soup, stirring it until fully incorporated.
Add the bok choy and cook 3–5 minutes until wilted and tender.
The soup is now finished. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parsley, ensuring that each bowl gets at least two pieces of the fish. If you seared the fish separately, add two to three pieces of the seared fish pieces to the center of the soup bowl before garnishing with parsley. Enjoy!
Learn more about the Creamy Seafood Soup dish from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom at Zelda Dungeon.