Spicy Fish Chowder

When I was in high school, I had a best friend whose family always treated me as if I were one of their own.  They were always so generous with me.  I remember one time specifically when we went to a high-end seafood restaurant in Boston called “The Four Seasons” – it couldn’t have been cheap.  Here, I had my first experience with a truly amazing fish chowder.  I can still remember how it tasted.  Over the years, I’ve worked on recreating this dish and I feel that finally I’ve come up with something worthy of sharing here.  Enjoy!

Time: 1 – 1.5 hours
Level: Easy
Cost: About $4.00 per plate
Serves: 6

Ingredients

1. 8-12oz bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces
2. 4 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3. 1 large yellow onion, diced
4. 3 carrots, diced
5. 3 jalapeño peppers, diced (optional)
6. 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
7. 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
8. 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
9. Small grating fresh nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon-ish)
10. 1/2 cup white wine
11. 4 cups stock (chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock – use low sodium if using store bought)
12. Healthy Pinch Aleppo Chili (or any red chili flakes – perhaps 2 teaspoons)
13. 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (approximate)
14. 3/4 – 1 cup heavy cream
15. 1 lb Firm fish: Tuna, mahi mahi, swordfish, etc
16. 1 lb White fish:  Cod, talapia, snapper, etc.
17. 2 tablespoons flour
18. 1/4 cup brandy

Cook’s Note:  For the seafood (ingredients 13-15), variety is key.  Shoot for one firm fish, 2 white fishes, and at least two shellfish offerings.  Frozen fish is fine but canned won’t work.  Also, salmon doesn’t work as it has a distinct flavor that will overpower the rest of the dish.

Instructions

1. Sauté bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy, stirring occasionally.  Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease
2. Lower heat to medium-low and add celery, onion, carrots (and jalapeños, if using).  Sauté until onions are translucent and veggies are soft.  As the vegetables sweat out their moisture, scrape up any brown bits left behind by the bacon.  5-7 minutes.
3. Add garlic, thyme, basil, nutmeg; sauté with vegetables until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (do not brown)
4. Add flour and cook until raw flavor is cooked off, 1-2 minutes
5. Add brandy and flambe
6. Add white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up remaining brown bits from the bottom stock and stir to combine
7. Add potatoes, stir once more, cover, and bring to a boil
8. Uncover, reduce to a simmer, and continue to cook until potatoes are soft and liquid is reduced by 2/3 (you want it fairly thick), perhaps 45 minutes.  If potatoes aren’t getting soft but chowder is thickening to quickly, reduce to a simmer and cover until potatoes are cooked through
9. Add cream and continue to reduce until desired thickness is achieved, 10 – 15 minutes.  You want it to almost be the consistency of gravy; it gets there when it gets there, but chunky is good.
10. Once desired consistency is achieved, add the reserved bacon and seafood, reduce to a simmer, and cover.  Simmer covered for 3-5 minutes.
11. Off the heat and allow residual heat to finish cooking seafood through, 10 minutes; stir to break up seafood into chunks
12. Serve with fresh parsley, oyster crackers, toasted crostini, and additional bacon crumbles if desired