FISH*****Smoked Whitefish Chowder

By Unblond1

17/01/15 - This was great for both. We agreed that it won't work without smoked fish, though, so keep that in mind.

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced, or equivalent amount of pancetta or combination
• 16 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (I used the multi-coloured mini potatoes, skin on, which is what I had on hand)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or bacon, duck or goose fat (didn't need this with the bacon fat)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used red)
• 2 large celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 - 2 jalapenos, minced
• 1 cup minced sweet pepper - mixed colours
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme (1 large sprig, removed at end)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 10 to 12 ounces smoked whitefish—skin and bones discarded, fish coarsely flaked
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, optional
• 2 or 3 splashes of chipotle tabasco sauce (didn't need)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the potato chunks with the cream and milk. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. (Careful with the pepper - most recently, I used white pepper with the potatoes which, with two jalapenos in the soup was almost over the top) Partially cover the saucepan and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, cook the bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. If you don't have enough fat left, melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion, celery, leek, carrots, peppers, garlic and thyme and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the wine and boil until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and season very lightly with salt. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

3. Add one cup of the broth to the potatoes to loosen them up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the cooked potatoes to a bowl. Puree the remaining potatoes and all of the liquid until smooth. (n.b. don't panic that it turns to glue while pureeing it, it melts right back into the soup) Add the potato chunks and the pureed potatoes to the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. If making ahead, cover and remove from the heat until serving time. Reheat until simmering then add the corn. Return to a simmer then stir in the fish, bacon and the dill and parsley and season with Tabasco, if desired. Return to a simmer and serve hot.

Note: I served just the soup because we were eating in front of the TV but Dan remarked he'd like crackers. Cornbread would be good too, I bet, or even naan. Update - although I searched high and low for oyster crackers, of course I couldn't find any. I bought a PC brand of small cheddar crackers, which worked for Dan. I don't need anything but the soup, myself.

Nutrition Facts - 8 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 276.3
Total Fat 8.8 g
Saturated Fat 4.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.9 g
Cholesterol 36.9 mg
Sodium 754.8 mg
Potassium 673.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24.1 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Sugars 4.1 g
Protein 15.1 g