Sipping Once, Sipping Twice, October’s Fish Chowder, How Nice!

In October I’ll be host.

To witches, goblins and a ghost.

I’ll serve them fish chowder on toast.

Whoopy once, whoopy twice, whoopy fish chowder, how nice!

–with apologies to Maurice Sendak

Soup season is upon us again! Ice is forming at the edges of the Fraser River as it wends its way through our quiet neighborhood here at the base of Winter Park Resort. Maybe it’s a little too quiet. We’re between seasons and everything is closed, including most of the restaurants where normally we can find some decent seafood and other imported fare catering to travelers who come from around the world to ski and bike. But it’s mud season now, and though we are far from the nearest ocean or sea, we crave our seafood and the deep reflective tastes of crunchy bacon, sautéed carrots, onion and celery, some beef broth, a splash of cream and a bit of cod fish. We crave that steaming bowl of chowder that warms the inner reaches of our psyche and that will delight all the witches, goblins and ghosts in our lives.

In the taste spectrum, fish chowder falls right between its brothy, thin French cousin, a bouillabaisse, and its creamy and thick New England heavyweight clam chowder. And fish chowder’s ingredients are easier and less expensive to come by than its richer cousins. This satisfying and hearty recipe will give you a reason for that pound of codfish you got on sale from your freezer section in the meat department. And you don’t have to deep fry it.

 

Sipping Once, Sipping Twice October’s Fish Chowder, How Nice!

Serves 4

• 4 bacon slices, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into small discs
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound cooked and chopped potatoes
• 3/4 pound of cod fish, cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

 

In a heavy Dutch oven cook the bacon until crisp then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan and add the onion, carrot and celery and cook about 10 minutes on medium heat until the onions begin to color. Add a bit more of the bacon fat if the pan is too dry.

Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sir in paprika, bay leaf, thyme and broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for several minutes. Add fish to chowder and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add cream and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with bacon bits on top.