Fishtales Library
November 24, 1997
David Bass shares a recipe for New England style fish chowder. It's excellent - I made a pot to test it out. It is very similar to a recipe I had in my weekly feature on 9/8/97 but this one has some added ingredients making it even better.
Fish Chowder
David Bass
I think you will like this recipe for fish stew. Makes about 5 quarts.
Ingredients:
3 slices bacon
2 large onions
2 carrots
1 stick celery
1/2 stick butter
6 potatoes
6 bass filets from 1 pound fish (or any white fish)
1 qt beef broth
1 qt milk
salt and pepper
In a large, heavy pot fry 3 slices of bacon very crisp. Remove to paper towels. Dice the onions and saute' them in the bacon grease until clear. Add beef broth (can be made with bullion cubes). Dice carrots, celery and potatoes into half-inch cubes and add to pot. Crumble bacon and add to pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the veggies start to get soft. Add milk and butter and bring back to a simmer. When veggies are soft, add filets cut into1 inch cubes. Simmer until fish is white and flakes.
For a thicker broth, blend 1/4 cup of flower with enough of the hot broth to make a thin paste. Make sure all lumps are gone and add slowly back to broth just after the bacon is added. Simmer a little longer. This makes the solid stuff stay suspended better - it doesn't all settle to the bottom as bad.
This chowder is even better after sitting in the refrigerator overnight. Great served with saltines or a sandwich. Really warms up a cold day.
(Since I am allergic to milk, I used Parkay Margarine - no milk at all - and rice milk. Not as good probably, but better than no chowder at all!)
