Gettin' to be that time...It's Chowdah Time!

Well, it's getting to be that time of year again, and we all know what that is, right?

It's "Chowdah" Time! Specifically, Fish Chowder to be exact.

Ingredients
1 - Med. onion finely chopped (I rough chop then use a food processor)
1 - Celery stalk - sliced about 1/8"
3 - Fresh shrooms - sliced
1.5 lb. - white fleshed fish (I use Cod) - diced into 1/2" cubes
2 - potatoes - diced (I like to leave the skins on)
3 Cups - Chicken stock
2 Cups - Milk (whole milk) (you can use 2%, but you might have to add flour to thicken)
1 jar - Clam juice (cheating, I know)
3 Tbsp - butter
S&P to taste
1/2 Tsp - Old Bay (optional)
1/4 Tsp - Paprika (smoked if ya' got it)

Recipe
1. Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a dutch oven. Toss in the shrooms, onions and celery; saute until soft.

2. Add in the taters, chicken stock. Simmer until potatoes are forkable. (sounds like a dirty word, huh? 'Forkable') Should be about 20 min.

3. Add in the fish, clam juice, and Old Bay (if using). Simmer no less than 5 min. (Don't heavy boil it)

4. Stir in the milk, the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and Paprika. Bring temp up to simmer (just shy of boiling), stirring frequently to keep the milk from curdling. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve in a bowl (or soup mug) with a pat of butter on top of each bowl and some fresh ground black pepper.

If you want to get fancy you can garnish with just a little parsley for color.

"CHODAH TIME!"

Note: Some like their chowders thicker, and if you're one of these folks you can add a flour water slurry in Step #3

Note: The paprika is for color more so than flavor. It gives the 'chowdah' a rich off-white pinkish color


---Editorial---

Now, I will say here that some people might be asking..."where's the BACON????"

And my response to this is, bacon in 'chowdah' makes it "soup", and is sacrilege in 'chowdah'! In other words...don't put no bacon in yo' chowdah, fool!

Seriously though, I am of the firm belief that bacon in chowder stems from people using potato-bacon soup for a base to make their clam chowder, and that real chowders never really had bacon in them. Bacon is much too powerful of a flavor which masks the delicate flavor of the fish or seafood.

Flame away about the bacon, but just know, I'll be enjoying my chowdah the whole time!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I use fish stock and heavy cream in my chowder.

a reply to: butcherguy

Yes to both...if you've got them.

Most people don't have fish stock handy though, and cream you just have to be really careful with else it will curdle.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Clam is bettah but all chowdah is great. New England style. None of that crap NY style.

AHH man i love a good clam chowdah, almost as much as I enjoy a good chili.

Ain't gonna lie I put bacon crumbles in mine just as a garnish along with some chives when I have them. And it's just a touch though, I learned the hard way that cooking with bacon does overpower it no matter how little you use. Have had good results starting from scratch or just modifying from a base can or two of soup in a pinch. Throw in my mom's crunchy biscuits and it a dinner in itself.

Now though I've got to try your fish chowdah, I enjoy eating cod and it does seem the perfect starting point for a good chowdah too.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Sounds good. I'm making Tuscan sausage, bean and kale soup with some homemade focaccia.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

You had me right up until the kale part! (j/k)

Sounds good (but spinach would probably be my choice)

a reply to: putnam6

Definitely love me a clam chowdah, but I like to switch it up sometimes.

Fish chowdah's delicious! And this has shrooms in it...even bettah.

a reply to: Flyii was gonna ngclaydisk
I was gonna say the same thing. New England style anything is better lol... When people buy hot dog bujs that aren't new England srtyle...wtf is this doughy s*+t

I
I

Messed this up a bit my bad, you'll get the point lol

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Having never tried chowder being an ignorant Brit. I have to say that this sounds delicious.

I will give it a go sometime. Thank you.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

My wife is Asian, born and raised in the Philippines, her New England Clam Chowdah is amazing, so don't let being a Brit hold you back, try it.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

You will be glad you did!

I do love clam chowder. Secret ingredient hint - try adding a dollop of Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry. It's one of those things you can't put your finger on when it's in there, but you notice when it isn't.

I like drinking it so it's not like I have to buy a bottle for a spoonful for chowder.

Just sayin'.

a reply to: yeahright

Sherry is great in She-Crab soup and lobster/crab bisque too.

a reply to: yeahright

Yeah, you have to be really careful with that in a chowder though. It can very easily make a chowder too rich.

I had some once where the chef must have thought it was a main ingredient, and it was so rich it was hard to even swallow. Now, my memory of that means I can taste it even in microscopic amounts. Consequently, I usually leave it out. I think the pat of butter in the bowl accomplishes the same thing, without the sweet flavor. You have to be really, really, careful with sweet flavors and seafood. The only time I've ever seen a sweet flavor really work with fish is with "fish candy" (i.e. fish jerky) like they make up in AK. Now, that stuff is the BOMB!

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Yeah, now there it really works. Maryland crab soup and lobster/crab bisque.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


Ummm...I'm making a fish...chowdah/stew...

except I'm also adding very large prawns to go with the chunk cod...I also add a cup of fresh corn to the stew as well...

Like Butcherguy I use a quart of heavy cream...and also a tad of fish sauce...











YouSir

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I love a good cream chowder, but I also love a good red.

No milk or cream...tomato based. Substitute your taters for purple sweet potatoes and your cod for salmon.

YUM!

a reply to: YouSir

I put fish sauce and rice wine vinegar on my rice when I eat it.

I just made the best chicken corn chowder I have ever had this last week.......heres my chowder recipe

Chicken corn Chowder

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
1 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups creamed corn
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or homemade bone broth)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt + more to taste
3 Tbsp. potato starch to thicken, optional
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
4 strips crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
Fresh thyme and/or parsley for garnish, optional

Dice and brown your chicken first in a pan with a little salt and a bit of your garlic and onion for that carmalized bit o taste....

Then throw it all in a crock pot and cook 4 hours on high, or 7 hours on low......

Be glad to hear what you guys think of it