New England Fish Chowder
This classic New England-style fish chowder is hearty and satisfying. It's made with haddock, although almost any lean white fish will also work.Here's an easy recipe for making fish stock, which will really make this fish chowder amazing and is definitely worth the additional steps.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. salt pork (or 2 strips bacon)
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 2½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 qt fish stock
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into approx. ½-inch cubes
- ½ lb haddock fillets (skin removed), cut into ¾-inch cubes
- ¾ cup half and half
- Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Cut the salt pork or bacon into about ¼-inch cubes. If using bacon, this may be easier if you let the bacon sit in the freezer for a few minutes before dicing it.
- Add the pork or bacon to a heavy-bottomed saucepot or soup pot, and heat it slowly over a low heat, stirring more or less constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the fat is liquefied. Be careful not to let the fat burn. Lower the heat if it starts to smoke.
- Add the chopped onion and cook it over a medium heat until it's translucent but not brown, another 4 minutes or so.
- Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon while it's absorbed into the bacon fat, making a roux. Cook the roux for another 3-4 minutes, but like the onions, don't let it brown.
- Slowly whisk in the stock, making sure the roux is fully incorporated into the liquid. Keep stirring while the mixture comes to a boil, and then add the wine.
- Add the potatoes and simmer 15 minutes or so, or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a knife. You should see an occasional slow, gentle steam bubble, but not the rapid bubbling of a full boil.
- While you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, heat the half and half in a small saucepan. You want it hot (but not boiling) so that when you add it to the soup in the next step, it won't cool down the chowder.
- Add the hot half and half and bring the chowder back to a simmer for just a moment.
- Reduce heat to lowest setting and carefully stir in the fish. Heat very gently for about 5 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked. Don't let it boil.
- Season to taste with Kosher salt and white pepper, and serve right away.
