Fish Chowder

With all the great meals and perks of being a "novice chef," one can often find him/herself in a series of culinary pitfalls.  No, this is not a pity party for the girl who eats whole meals, but rather a reflection on those minor setbacks in the kitchen.  What do I mean? Well, I had every good intention of cooking my very first Julia Childs recipe tonight--Ratatouille from the great Provence consisting of roasted eggplant, ripe vine tomatoes, and zucchini.  Well, I came home and discovered that my eggplant had passed to other side of the vegetable garden (i.e., it was dead and more suitable for a compost bin!).  Then, I went to plan B--Spicy Orange Chicken with Lo Mein, Snowpeas, and Mushrooms.  Alas, the grocery store by my house did not carry the peanut oil, Lo Mein, or other international sauces necessary for this dish.  Damn.  Plan C--a Cod/Haddock Chowder with potatoes and tons of fresh ingredients.  Again, the grocery store by my house was also being reorganized and my hopes of finding fish stock were destroyed.  Further, cod and haddock are not common poissons in the southern United States, so I had to purchase a lesser, but hopefully as useful fish, TILAPIA.

What did I learn today? Well, one, you don't do all of your shopping at one store as many Americans are want to do.  And two, you need to be ready to improvise.  For this recipe, improvisation is exactly what I did--when you can't find fish stock, make it, or use another stock.  Tonight, I used Beef Stock because it was what I had.  What started as the strangest substitution for a traditional fish chowder turned into a clearly delicious--and complexly--flavorful recipe.  Plus, the Tilapia was as hardy and delicious as I had hoped!

Creamy Fish Chowder
This recipe comes from 400 Soups by editor Anne Sheasby (London: Hermes House, 2008).  This book was a birthday present last year from a friend, and I have made so many of its soups.  If you'd like to purchase a copy of this same book, you can find it on Amazon for $10 (used) here.  There are few recipe books that I would highly suggest anyone should buy, and this is certainly one of them (not to mention the sacra-saint Mastering the Art of French Cooking).  

Ingredients
* 3 thick-cut bacon rashers (strips)
* 4 cups fish stock, or beef stock
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 red potatoes, chopped
* 1 lb skinless haddock, cod, or tilapia cut into 1 inch cubes
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives/green onions
* 1 1/4 cup whipping cream, or milk

1.) Prepare all of your ingredients--chop the onion, potatoes, fish, parsley, and green onions.  Set aside.
2.) Heat up a large boiling pot and cook three slices of bacon in the bottom.  Add onions and potatoes, mix to integrate, and cook over low heat (without browning) for about 10 minutes.  Season to taste.
3.) Add the stock (whether fish or beef) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4.) Stir in the cubes of fish, parsley, chives/green onions, and simmer for about 3-4 minutes, or until the fish is cooked (DO NOT OVERCOOK FISH.  Tough fish in a a delicious broth could not be more disappointing.).
5.) Stir in the cream or milk and reheat "gently" but do not bring to a boil.  Season to taste.
6.) Serve with fresh parsley to garnish or those delicious chowder crackers that we all love. Enjoy!


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