New England Fish Chowder

By: Norman Silver


Ingredients:

4 oz meaty Salt Pork, rind removed & cut into 1/3 inch dice
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 med Onions (14 oz), cut into 3/4 dice
6 - 8 sprigs fresh summer Savory or Thyme, leaves removed & chopped (1 Tbsp)
2 dried Bay leaves
2 lbs Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/3 in thick
5 cups strong Fish Stock, Traditional Fish Stock, Chicken Stock, or Water (as a last resort)
Kosher or Sea Salt & freshly Ground Pepper
3 lbs skinless Haddock or Cod Fillets, preferably over 1 inch thick, pinbones removed
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream (or up to 2 cups if desired)

For Garnish:

2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian Parsley
2 Tbsp Minced fresh Chives


Preparations:

Heat a 4-6 quart heavy pot over low heat & add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few
tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium & cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.

Add butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the pot and saute', stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes, until the onions and softened but not browned.

Add the potatoes & stock. If the stock doesn't over the potatoes, add just enough water to cover them. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the stock hasn't thickened lightly, smash a few of the potatoe slices against the side of the pot & cook for a minute or 2 longer to release their starch. Reduce the heat to low & 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 the fish fillets & cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat & allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes ( the fish will finish cooking during this time).

Gently stir in the cream & taste for salt & pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour,let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; 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 to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don't let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (200 degrees) for a few minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, onions, & potatoes or shallow bowls, & ladle the creamy broth around. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings & finish each a sprinkling of chopped parsley & minced chives.