ChowderMan
Pizza Chef
Fish Chowder - simple, not too involved, a favorite, start to finish about one hour.
the gear:
works "all in one" - heavy bottom 6 qt / 6 liter casserole is my choice.
optional:
3-4 strips of bacon, diced, fried crisp
chives or curly parsley for garnish
main fixings:
1 lb / 455 g cod fish - diced into half-inch chunks
1 cup / 250 ml diced onion - alternately use 50-50 onion&leek
0.5 to 1.0 cup / 125-250 ml chopped fresh mushrooms - cremini preferred
1 large stalk celery - small dice
2 cups / 500 ml half inch dice potato - russets preferred
2 cups / 475 ml chicken stock (approximate)
4 fl ozs=half-cup / 120 ml clam juice
0.25 cup / 32-25 g AP flour
6 fl ozs / 175 ml evaporated milk
knob of butter for saute
seasoning: to taste/preference
Old Bay - 1/8-14 tsp / 0.5-1 ml
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
if using the optional bacon - fry diced strips to crisp, remove from pot, reserve fat
whisk flour into clam juice and allow to stand
using bacon drippings or butter, saute onions + celery + mushrooms until soft
salt and pepper saute mix
add butter as needed for saute
then
add chicken stock
add diced potatoes
add Old Bay seasoning
add bacon bits if using
simmer until potato is tender - 15 to 20 minutes
when potatoes are tender/al dente, add clam juice & flour mix
PAY ATTENTION as the mix can thicken up more than you might expect!
and yes, it will then burn, and no, that's not so tasty.
stir regular, adjust consistency with stock, clam juice, water, white wine, etc.
add evaporated milk
stir well - increase heat - bring to gentle boil to ensure full thickening
adjust consistency with left over clam juice - to preferred 'soup/chowder' state
reduce heat
add cod
simmer 10-15 minutes to cook cod
garnish with: chives or curly parsley
makes 5-6 good size bowls of soup - full meal for two with left-overs.
served with buttered hot drop biscuits.
notes:
pretty much any firm mild white fleshed fish will work - some are too tender, for example trout - which would just fall apart in a chowder.
I've done varied mix of (just max two types)
- cod
- flounder
- hake
- pollock
- fluke
- halibut
- for over the top: sea scallops
frozen fish works fine - if you catch it 'half thawed' it actually makes for neater dices
the gear:
works "all in one" - heavy bottom 6 qt / 6 liter casserole is my choice.
optional:
3-4 strips of bacon, diced, fried crisp
chives or curly parsley for garnish
main fixings:
1 lb / 455 g cod fish - diced into half-inch chunks
1 cup / 250 ml diced onion - alternately use 50-50 onion&leek
0.5 to 1.0 cup / 125-250 ml chopped fresh mushrooms - cremini preferred
1 large stalk celery - small dice
2 cups / 500 ml half inch dice potato - russets preferred
2 cups / 475 ml chicken stock (approximate)
4 fl ozs=half-cup / 120 ml clam juice
0.25 cup / 32-25 g AP flour
6 fl ozs / 175 ml evaporated milk
knob of butter for saute
seasoning: to taste/preference
Old Bay - 1/8-14 tsp / 0.5-1 ml
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
if using the optional bacon - fry diced strips to crisp, remove from pot, reserve fat
whisk flour into clam juice and allow to stand
using bacon drippings or butter, saute onions + celery + mushrooms until soft
salt and pepper saute mix
add butter as needed for saute
then
add chicken stock
add diced potatoes
add Old Bay seasoning
add bacon bits if using
simmer until potato is tender - 15 to 20 minutes
when potatoes are tender/al dente, add clam juice & flour mix
PAY ATTENTION as the mix can thicken up more than you might expect!
and yes, it will then burn, and no, that's not so tasty.
stir regular, adjust consistency with stock, clam juice, water, white wine, etc.
add evaporated milk
stir well - increase heat - bring to gentle boil to ensure full thickening
adjust consistency with left over clam juice - to preferred 'soup/chowder' state
reduce heat
add cod
simmer 10-15 minutes to cook cod
garnish with: chives or curly parsley
makes 5-6 good size bowls of soup - full meal for two with left-overs.
served with buttered hot drop biscuits.
notes:
pretty much any firm mild white fleshed fish will work - some are too tender, for example trout - which would just fall apart in a chowder.
I've done varied mix of (just max two types)
- cod
- flounder
- hake
- pollock
- fluke
- halibut
- for over the top: sea scallops
frozen fish works fine - if you catch it 'half thawed' it actually makes for neater dices
