New England Fish Chowder
A fresh-flavoured, filling chowder from a cookbook Sabrina wrote for me. It was often made at Number 77, and it’s a meal in itself. Use any fish you like (including the cheapest decent fillets).
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- 500 g fish fillets, any kind
- 2½ cups fish stock
- salt to taste
- 60 g bacon diced
- 2 potatoe large, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 onion large, chopped
- 60 g mushrooms sliced (optional)
- 2 Tbsp plain flour use rice flour or potato starch to make a gluten free variant.
- 1½ cups milk
- 50 mls lemon juice Juice of 1 lemon
- black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
Poach the fish.
- Cut fish into bite-sized pieces. Add a pinch of salt to the fish stock and bring to the boil.500 g fish, 2½ cups fish stock, salt
- Add fish, simmer gently for about 10 minutes, then strain—reserve the liquid.
- Flake the fish roughly, discarding any skin or bones.
The base.
- In a saucepan, cook diced bacon gently until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp.60 g bacon
- Add potato cubes, onion, and (if using) mushrooms. Cook slowly for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.2 potatoe, 1 onion, 60 g mushrooms
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.2 Tbsp plain flour
- Take the pot off the heat and let it cool a little. Gradually stir in the warm reserved cooking liquid until smooth, then stir in the milk.1½ cups milk
- Return to the heat and stir until just simmering. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
Finish.
- Add the fish back in to reheat. Brighten with lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and stir through the parsley.salt, 50 mls lemon juice, black pepper, 2 Tbsp parsley
Notes
If your fish stock is strongly flavoured or salty, taste before adding extra salt.
Any firm white fish works well; mixing a couple of types is lovely.