Fish Chowder

By fuzzygroup

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes; up to 1 3/4 lbs is fine
• 2 cups clam juice (2 bottles)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay (optional, can use a little paprika and a dash of cayenne)
• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs cod*, or other firm white fish, pin bones removed, fillets cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups heavy cream

Details

Adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Saute bacon in bottom of stock pot. Remove and save for end. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2 Add the potatoes, clam juice, 1/2 cup water, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper, and Old Bay spice. (The potatoes should be just barely covered with the liquid in the pot. If not, add water so that they are.) Lower the heat to medium and cook, covered, until the potatoes are almost done, about 10-15 minutes.

3 In a separate pot, heat the cream until steamy (not boiling).

4 Add the fish to the pot of potatoes and add the heated cream. Return to the stove. Cook on low heat, uncovered, until the fish is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Keep your eye on the heat! If you are using straight heavy cream you should be more easily able to avoid curdling, even if the soup starts to boil. But if you are substituting light cream, half and half, or milk, the mixture will likely curdle if it gets near boiling point (one of the reasons I like using straight heavy cream). Keep the temperature so that it barely gets steamy, but not simmering. When the fish is just cooked through, remove from heat.

Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers (not for gluten-free version).
Serves 6.