LITTLE ROCK — Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
New England fish chowder is easy to make, uses simple ingredients and doesn't require you to be fussy or exact, says Frank Miles of Little Rock who shares this "authentic recipe for fish chowder, a hearty main course with deep flavors, luxurious texture and generous chunks of fish, onion and potato."
"It came from my late mother-in-law who first introduced me to fish chowder on a crisp, cool fall day at her summer home on the coast of Maine," Miles continues.
"After making this chowder a few times, you will begin to understand the Zen of chowder. Oyster crackers are good with it."
We devote today's entire column to Miles' recipe, which he acknowledges is a lengthy recipe because of its detailed cooking instructions but he insists it is fairly easy to make.
New England Fish Chowder
4 ounces meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into 1 /3-inch dice (a good quality thick-sliced bacon can be substituted)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, cut into 3 /4-inch dice
6 to 8 sprigs (1 tablespoon) fresh summer savory or thyme, leaves removed and chopped
2 bay leaves 2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, Idaho or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 /3-inch thick
5 cups strong fish stock, traditional fish stock, chicken stock, OR, as a last resort, clam juice or water
Salt (preferably kosher or sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds fresh skinless haddock or cod filets, preferably more than 1 inch thick, bones removed
1 1 /2 to 2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley OR minced fresh chives, for garnish
Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase heat to medium and cook until pork is crisp and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cracklings to a small, oven-proof dish, leaving fat in pot; set aside.
Add butter, onions, savory or thyme and bay leaves to the pot and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes, until onions are soft but not brown.
Add potatoes and stock. If stock doesn't cover potatoes, add just enough water to cover them. Turn up heat and bring to a boil, cover and cook potatoes vigorously about 10 minutes, until they are soft on outside but still firm in center. If stock hasn't thickened slightly, mash a few of the potato slices against side of pot and cook for a minute or two longer to release their starch.
Reduce heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost over-season the chowder at this point to avoid having to stir it much once the fish is added).
Add fish filets and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let chowder sit for 10 minutes (fish will finish cooking during this time).
Gently stir in cream and taste for salt and pepper. If not serving chowder within an hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover chowder after it has chilled. Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, letting flavors meld.
Remove bay leaves before serving.
When ready to serve, reheat chowder over low heat; don't let it boil. Warm cracklings in a 200-degree oven for a few minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to mound chunks of fish, onions and potatoes in center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, and ladle creamy broth around. Scatter cracklings over individual servings and finish each with a sprinkling of chopped parsley or minced chives.
Note: Cod and haddock are very similar, but large haddock is a little firmer and doesn't break up quite as much as cod, making it easier to produce a chowder with large chunks of fish. But even more important than the type of fish is the way you prepare it. Cod and haddock, and their cousins pollack and hake, all flake apart naturally.
Therefore, it isn't necessary to cut them into pieces. Simply add whole filets to the chowder, cook a few minutes longer and remove from heat, without stirring it again.
When you reheat the chowder, the filets will break into nice big chunks of tender white fish.
Most firm-fleshed fish can be used for New England Fish Chowder.
Some fish will not break up naturally and will need to be cut into pieces.
Strong fish stock made with heads and bones from cod or haddock you buy for chowder is by far the best choice for this recipe. If heads and bones are not available, note the alternatives listed in the recipe.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Irene Wassell, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; e-mail:
Food, Pages 54 on 10/24/2007