Hey guys,

I got as few pounds of Cusk and was wondering if anyone has a kick butt recipe for a thick New England fish chowda


as I was thinking I kept wondering why we do not have a "rrecipe forum"

I kept wondering why we do not have a "recipe forum"

Me too - since it looks like most of us haven't missed too many meals :hihi:

Call Charlie Murphy Patrick! :call:

BF,

I like charlie's chowda but it is still a bit thin for my old fashioned NE taste...I used to have a great recipe from a book put out by the folks at Yankee Tackle in
gloucester but I do not have the book anymore...

If you like the taste, then a little Flour or Cornstarch will thicken it up for you....I stress "little" or you'll be doing paper mache' with the leftovers.

Whip the flour or cornstarch with water in a blender prior to adding. This kills all the lumps and gives it maximum thickening power.

Guys, thanks but I do not want to just thicken up the recipe
BF mentioned. I am really looking for another recipe. Anyone wanna share their secrets...

We have a recipe page: http://www.striped-bass.com/recipes.shtml

One day there might be an interactive recipe format...

This is from a friend of my family- Jasper white. he makes the meanist chowders i have ever had in my life..
enjoy :D




4 ounces meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 8 sprigs fresh summer savory or thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1 tablespoon)
2 dried bay leaves
2 pounds all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon gold, peeled and sliced 1/3-inch thick
5 cups Strong Fish Stock, recipe follows
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds skinless haddock or cod fillets, preferably over 1-inch thick, pin bones removed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Heat a 4 to 6 quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish; reserve.
Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onions have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.

Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a little water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and boil the potatoes vigorously until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center, about 10 minutes. If the stock hasn't thickened slightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost over season at this point in order to avoid having to stir once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over a low heat until the fish is almost done, 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).

Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate (only cover the chowder after it has chilled completely). Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld.

When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over a low heat; don't let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (220 degrees F) for a few minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, ladle the creamy broth around and scatter the cracklings over top. Finish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.


Strong Fish Stock:
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 large (6 inches long or more) or 2 small (4 inches long or less) fish heads from cod or haddock, split lengthwise, gills removed and rinsed clean of any blood.
2 1/2 to 3 pounds fish bones from sole, flounder, bass and/or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed clean of any blood
1/4 cup dry white wine
Kosher or sea salt


Melt the butter in a heavy 7 to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.
Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly and let the bones sweat until they have turned completely white, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add enough very hot or boiling water (approximately 2 quarts) to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface (try to leave the herbs, spices and vegetables in the pot).

Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again and allow it to steep undisturbed for 10 minutes. Ladle through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible.

Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.


Yield: about 2 quarts

You need to make a roux. Rouxs are the gourmet chefs way to thick chowders , etc. Its still adding starch but you cook the starch in butter with the onions and celery etc before adding the wet ingredients. this gives the starch some flavor and thickens the chowder. If you cook it a lot the color will be brown , which tastes great and is done for some other dishes but usually not done for chowder. Anyway , that's the route to a thick chowder.

Try this , add about 1/2 stick of butter in a big pan with the onions garlic celery , etc , whatever you like. Or instead of butter , render down some salt pork or bacon. If you use the paok or bacon , take out the meat but leave behind the fat. I prefer butter myself but bacon adds a nice deep flavor.

After the onions and celery , etc are clear , Add about 4 tablespoons of flour. Essentially you are frying the flour but stir constantly. the longer you cook it the darker it gets. For chowder , you barely want it to change color at all (about 3 or 4 minutes) .

When you like the color , add the wet ingredients and potatoes and simmer it down so you evaporate about half the watery liquid. then add some milk or light cream (health question , (the cream will taste better!) and heat until it starts simmering again.Add your fish and some herbs , i like dill and thyme. I like to add the fish to the simmering pot and heat until it starts to simmer again plus about 4 minutes. If you want you can also add some finely chopped green onions at the same time as the fish and add back in the already cooked salt pork or bacon bits if you used them instead of butter. . add salt (be careful , there's already plenty of salt from the butter or pork or bacon) and pepper to taste and serve.

Some people simmer the chowder for a long time with the fish in it. i like to limit the time the fish is simmering so it stays in chunks and is not over cooked.


essentially you can do the same thing for clam chowder , etc.

You could use your friends recipe you said you like but add the making of the roux in the beginning of the process too so its thicker.

after you make it once , you can add more flour next time if you like it thicker or more cream if you like it thinner.

here's a secret i never tell anyone but I'm on a roll so what to hell.

If you really want to go over the top , add sour cream instead of light cream. you will need a little more herbs but the sour cream , if done right , makes the best broth.

good advice saltheart. One other thing is that the best tasting chowder is one that has sit overnight in the fridge.. all the flavors meld together.

Me too - since it looks like most of us haven't missed too many meals :hihi:
Guilty as charged, your honor. :wiggle: :laughs:

265.. :smokin: