I’ve often written about how much we love the East Coast. And seafood. One of my most favourite things to make recently is a seafood boil (and you can find the recipe for that right here on the blog!)
But a favourite comfort food at home is a simple fish chowder. It starts with a bacon base, then is built with celery, potatoes, milk, cream and fish. It’s quick, tasty, and warms us up in the cold winter months when we dreaming about getting back to the East Coast in the warmth of summer.
I’ve modified this Michael Smith clam chowder recipe to make our fish chowder. It’s basically the same, but I cook a white fish in advance and chop it up to add.
Here’s the recipe I typically use for fish chowder:
Ingredients:
2-4 slices cooked bacon (this is a great way to use up leftover breakfast bacon!)
Tbsp or so of olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/3 cup white wine or water
1 cup cream
1 cup milk (if no cream, double the milk)
1 cup broth (you can also swap this for milk and just use 3 cups milk in total)
1-2 potatos, peeled and cubed
2 bay leaves
Thyme (about 4-6 sprigs if fresh, 1 tsp if ground)
1 tsp Old Bay spice (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 pieces of cooked white fish
Directions:
Bake the fish with some olive oil, salt and pepper until cooked through in the oven or on the stovetop.
While the fish is cooking, add olive oil, butter, bacon, chopped onion and celery on medium heat in a stovetop pot. Cook until the veggies soften.
Add wine or water and scrape the bottom of the pot.
Add the cream, milk and broth. Warm through.
Add the potato and seasoning. When the potato is soft, add the cooked fish and let simmer on low heat. Check the seasoning, add more if you desire.
Serve with biscuits! Enjoy!
Want more seafood?
Try my garlic cream mussels or have a seafood boil!
