Recipe: Historical Fish Chowder [edit]

Step 1

To prepare stock: Place fish scraps in a soup kettle with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes until there is a mild stock. Strain and save stock. Discard strained pieces of fish and bone.

Step 2

Meanwhile, soak salt pork to remove some salt.

Step 3

To prepare chowder: Dice presoaked salt pork into 1/2-inch cubes. In the rinsed soup kettle, render salt pork over a medium heat. Remove crispy fried pork bits and reserve to be used as a garnish. Drain most of the rendered fat, leaving a small amount in pot.

Step 4

Saute onions in fat until transparent and wilted. Add potatoes. Pour in fish stock to cover, adding water if stock is insufficient. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are just done.

Step 5

Add fish, seafood and oyster crackers. Bring just to a boil. Simmer briefly (2 to 3 minutes) or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Add milk and cream. Heat to serving temperature being careful to not boil. Taste and correct salt, if necessary. Add ground pepper to taste.

Step 6

Serve hot with additional whole oyster crackers and reserved pork cracklins as garnish.

Step 7

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Step 8

Seafood Options: Be creative! 3 pounds of fish. Try cod, hake, pollock, monkfish, blackfish, or halibut. You may also want to add shellfish such as shrimp, scallops, or shucked clams or oysters.

Step 9

Comments:This recipe, provided by Alice Ross, a Long Island food historian, represents one of our traditional fish chowder preparations. While some question which variation (cream or no cream) might be the most authentic recipe, you will find a simple and hearty meal in this satisfying recipe. One very traditional variation called for all ingredients to be added in layers, producing more of a seafood pie.

Step 10

NOTES :