Fish Chowder

A fast, easy seafood dinner that works for landlocked cooks, by Heather Forsyth.

This soup is one of my favorites because it's simple, economical and delicious, even if you don't have fresh fish.  It's the product of moving inland from the east coast to a place where the only fresh fish I've seen looks like some sort of prehistoric monster.  So, although I usually avoid frozen anything, in this case I've come to appreciate a nice clean piece of frozen cod fish.  It doesn't need to be thawed ahead of time, so you don't have to think ahead, but do make sure you have the celery. It's what holds the flavors together.  If you're a quick hand with a knife, you can have this on the table 30 minutes after you walk in the door.

Fishy Chowder

• 1 T. butter
• 3-4 slices bacon
• 1/4 c. onion, diced
• 1/2 c. celery, diced (add some celery leaves, too, if you have them)
• 1 large potato (the floury kind are best), chopped small, peeled if you're inclined to
• 3 c. stock, fish stock if you have it, but vegetable stock is fine
• 12-16 oz. firm white fish such as cod or haddock, frozen usually
• 1 c. milk
• 1 t. salt, or more to taste
• 1/2 t. tarragon (optional)
• fresh parsely, chopped (optional, for garnish)

In the bottom of a pot large enough to hold the soup, fry bacon until crisp.  Cool, crumble and set aside.  Add butter to the bacon drippings in the bottom of the pot, then saute the onion, celery and potato for a few minutes, stirring up the brown bits, until the vegetables are well-coated and relaxed.  Add the stock and, if you happen to be drinking white wine while you're cooking, you can throw a splash of that into the pot, as well.  Stir in the tarragon if you're using it.  Simmer gently until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the fish (you can cut the frozen fish into pieces ahead of time if you want to, but I usually throw the whole chunk in and then break it up as it cooks) and simmer a few more minutes until the fish is just cooked through.  Stir in the milk and salt, and heat until hot, but not boiling.  Serve with crumbled bacon and chopped fresh parsely on top, and pass the pepper grinder.  This should serve 4, but in our house we usually eat it in 2 piggy servings.