Chowder

Food

To serve about eight . . .:
  4 oz. bacon
  1 lg. onion, chopped
  1 stalk celery, chopped
  1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  2 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
  2 c. homemade chicken broth or low- salt canned broth
  1 bay leaf
  2 c. whole milk
  1/2 red and 1/2 green pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
  4 or 5 ears sweet corn--shucked with corn kernels cut from
    the cob to equal about 3 c. (or substitute frozen)
  salt and pepper
  2 c. fish cut into 1-inch pieces
  chives, basil, and parsley to equal about 1 tbsp.
    chopped--use one or a combination

• In a large soup kettle, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon. In the same pan (with the bacon fat), add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat until soft. Meanwhile, chop the bacon and reserve.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring and cooking for about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf , a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
• Add the milk, sweet peppers, corn, and walleye. Cook the soup at almost a simmer, about 8 to 10 minutes, but don’t let it boil again. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste and, possibly, a dash of tobasco or a splash of wine.
• Just before serving, stir in the bacon and the herbs--or just sprinkle them on top.

“Cape Cod Fish Chowder”:

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2      Lb.           fresh Haddock
    2      Oz.           salt pork -- diced
    2      Medium        onions -- sliced
    1      C.            chopped celery
    4      Large         potatoes -- diced
    1                    bay leaf -- crumbled
    4      C.            milk
    2      Tbsp.         butter or margarine
    1      Tsp.          salt
                         freshly ground black pepper to taste

Simmer haddock in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Drain off and reserve the broth. Remove the skin and bones from the fish. Saute the diced salt pork in a large pot until crisp. Remove salt pork and saute the onions in the pork fat until
golden brown. Add fish, celery, potatoes and bay leaf. Measure reserved fish broth, plus enough boiling water, to make 3 cups liquid. Add to pot and simmer 30 minutes. Add milk and butter and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until well heated. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.

“Hearty Fish Chowder”:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 medium carrots, cut in small dice
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound frozen haddock fillets
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme crumbled
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry white wine or water
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter; add onions, carrots and celery, stirring and cooking until onion is tender. Add fish, potatoes, bay leaf, salt, thyme, pepper, and wine or water. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is cooked. Break fish into chunks. Add milk and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; heat through. Discard bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Fish chowder recipe serves 4.

“Norwegian Fish Chowder”:
4 large stalks of celery
1/2 cup salt pork
1 medium onion
1 - 1 1/2 (2 1/2 to 3 3/4 dl) cup fish meat
Cream Sauce:
1/4 (1./2 dl) cup butter
2 heaping tablespoons of white flour
2 cups (5 dl) milk

Clean and dice 4 large stalks of celery. Cook in small amount of water until tender. Dice 1/2 cup (1 1/4 dl) of salt pork and fry gently, but well. Dice one medium onion. Make cream sauce with coffee cream. Dilute with fish broth, resulting in a rather thick sauce. Then add celery and water in which it was cooked, the fried salt pork, and diced onion. The final addition is 1 to 1 1/2 cups (2 1/2 to 3 3/4 dl) fish meat. Cook gently for 30 minutes. When serving, sprinkle individual bowls with fresh, chopped chives.

Cream Sauce: Melt 1/4 cup (1./2 dl) of butter, add 2 heaping tablespoons of white flour and blend. Dilute gradually with 2 cups (5 dl) milk until desired thickness. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes. Season to taste.