More Hearty Fish Chowder Recipes!

Hope you enjoyed last week’s  ”Beat the Winter Blues” post! We LOVE sharing smart entertaining tips, creative menus and seasonal recipes, so check our Blog often. For now, the snowbanks are still making the air brisker than we’d like! And because winter may still have us in it’s grip a few weeks longer, we wanted to share a couple new hearty (and heart-warming) chowder recipes.

We begin with a pick from The Black Dog – an island eatery that first welcomed Martha’s Vineyard residents in 1971. Since then, The Black Dog has blossomed into a destination of choice for presidents, celebs and thousands of hungry tourists, renowned for it’s bountiful breakfasts and famous New England cuisine. Funnily enough, this fish chowder recipe comes from The Black Dog Summer in the Vineyard Cookbook – but trust me – it satisfies your taste buds year round!

Joshua Slocum’s Fish Chowder

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter (or bacon fat)
5 large potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups light cream
1 cup fish stock
salt to taste
2 pounds fresh skinless and boneless cod fillets
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
garnish: butter, paprika

1. Wilt the onion in butter until soft and clear

2. Add the potatoes and cover with cream and stock. Add a pinch of salt. Heat gently until tender. If you don’t have fish stock available, just add more cream.

3. Cut the fish in 1 inch pieces and add the fish and seasonings. SImmer until the fish flakes easily. Be careful not to allow the soup to boil. Adjust seasoning.

4. Serve in mugs or bowls with a bit of butter floating on top.  Sprinkle with paprika if you like.

Our last chowder pick is an adaptation from an Atkins for Life recipe, so it fits right into a carb conscious lifestyle!

Seafood Chowder

1 dozen cherrystone clams, scrubbed
4 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium carrot, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (27 ounce) can or 3 cups bottled clam broth
3/4 cup cubed Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1/2 inch dice)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme  or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Pinch Old Bay Seasoning
1 pound haddock or halibut fillet, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dry Sherry or Port

1. Place clams and 1 cup water in a nonreactive stockpot with a tight-fitting lid. Set over high heat and cook 7-9 minute, stirring once halfway through, until clams open. Cool. Remove clams from shells and chop. Strain pan juice through a fine sieve into a bowl, add clams to bowl and set aside.

2. Cook bacon in a large saucepan until crisp. Remove, chop, set aside. Add onions and carrot to bacon drippings; cook 6 -8 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add wine and boil 1 minute. Add canned clam broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

3. Add fish, Old Bay Seasoning and thyme; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add cream and reserved clams with their juice. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until clams are lightly cooked and tender and soup is heated through. Add port or sherry and stir.  Divide among 6 bowl and sprinkle with bacon.