New England Chowder

By cooksalot

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, cut in 1″ pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
• 1 cup chopped green onion–both white and green parts (approx. 8 green onions)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 4 cups peeled & cubed (1/2″) red potatoes
• 1-1/3 cups oyster crackers finely crushed (2/3 cup when crushed); or, 17 saltine crackers, finely crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 lb. mild, white fish fillets (cod, sole, haddock, etc.)
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• bread bowls, if desired

Preparation

Step 1

In Dutch oven or large pot, brown bacon over medium-high heat, drain on paper towel. Leave 1 tablespoon bacon grease in pot, add onions and garlic; saute until soft. Add chicken broth, water, carrots, potatoes, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, thyme, and crumbled bacon. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are soft (15-20 min.). Add fish fillets, press them down into hot liquid. Cook until fish is cooked throughout (7-10 min.), break fish into pieces. Add milk and heat through. Salt to taste. Serve in bowls or sour dough bread bowls. Reheats well. Be careful not to overcook so that potatoes and fish do not loose their texture.
Easy low fat version: Substitute turkey bacon, olive or canola oil instead of bacon grease (for sauteing the onions), skim or reduced fat evaporated milk.
Easy clam chowder version: Substitute two 10-oz. cans minced clams for the fish. Drain clams, reserve juice. Measure clam juice & reduce the chicken broth in the recipe by equal amount. Add clam juice along with water and chicken broth. Add clams with canned milk in last step. Heat through (don’t boil) and serve.
Easy meatless version: Omit bacon. Substitute 1-2 tablespoons melted butter for bacon grease when cooking onions & garlic. Use vegetable broth or water in place of chicken broth.