Chowder at the Red Barn
Eva Baughman has worked as a mom, a pastry chef and a recipe tester. She enjoys travel and nature photography.
Augusta, the capital of Maine, has had a struggling economy since the decline of American manufacturing in the 1970s. One of the city’s bright spots, The Red Barn, a family-operated restaurant, has fed locals and visitors great seafood for nearly 40 years. Remarkably, it has also nurtured the community with its philanthropy, having raised over 2 million dollars for charitable causes, mostly for veterans and the elderly.
Owner Laura Benedict and her kitchen crew couldn’t have been more accommodating as I prowled the kitchen looking for photo ops during their lunchtime rush. They graciously provided their beloved seafood stew recipe, as well. 
Eva Baughman
Eva Baughman has loved studying and practicing photography since buying a second hand Nikkormat SLR when she was first out of college. Photography took a secondary role while she raised a family and worked as a pastry chef and as a recipe tester. When her nest emptied, her passion to create images was reignited. Now it’s with a Pentax DSLR, a Fujifilm X-T1 and in the digital darkroom. She especially enjoys travel and nature photography, has exhibited in New Hampshire, and has had her photos published by the New York Times for food-related stories. She is a member of the New England Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier.
Courtesy photo
Read more from Eva BaughmanLaura’s Seafood Stew
Laura Benedict is the owner of The Red Barn, a family-operated restaurant in Augusta, Maine.
Recipe courtesy of The Red Barn in Augusta, Maine, USA
- Servings Makes 3 to 4 liters (3 to 4 quarts)
Ingredients
- 170 grams (6 ounces) finely chopped onion
- .9 kg (2 pounds) butter
- 2.3 kg (5 pounds) flash-frozen scallops (flash-frozen will release seafood stock)
- 2.3 kg (5 pounds) Icelandic haddock, cut into portions
- 1.3 kg (3 pounds) Maine shrimp
- .45 kg (1 pound) Maine lobster meat
- 1 to 2 liters (4 to 8 cups) Half & Half, as needed*
*Editor’s note: Or substitute a mixture of half milk and half heavy cream.
Preparation
1. In an 7.5 liter (8-quart) pot, combine the onions, butter, and scallops. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted.
2. Add the haddock, shrimp, and lobster. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. (“The key is fast and furious,” says Laura.)
3. Remove from heat. Add 118 ml (4 ounces) warmed Half & Half, or as desired, to each serving.
Laura Benedict
Laura Benedict is the owner of The Red Barn, a family-operated restaurant in Augusta, Maine.
Read more from Laura Benedict
