Fish Chowder
Ingredients
- 3/4 to 1 pound hake fillet (or halibut if you cannot find hake)
- 1/2 teaspoon whole leaf rosemary
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
- 5 large or 8 small red-skinned potatoes, sliced 3/4 inch thick
- 1 cube butter (margarine will not do)
- 6 cup whole milk
- Salt to taste
Instructions
In a shallow pan put the fish and rosemary and barely cover with water. Poach the fish gently for 5 minutes, just until it begins to flake. Set aside. In a large soup pot, melt 3 T of the butter over medium heat, being careful not to burn it. Add the sliced onion and potaoes and saute in the butter for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Use a spatula or slotted spoon to drain the fish filet and add it to the potatoes and onions. Add the milk, the rest of the butter, and 1/2 cup of the water from the poaching pan. Salt to taste. Carefully bring the chowder to a very low simmer over medium heat. Then turn down the heat as low as you can to maintain a low simmer. Since the flavor depends on the milk and butter, you need to be very careful not to scorch the milk at this stage or the chowder will be ruined. Simmer the chowder for 40 minutes until the potatoes are very tender. Stir the chowder about every ten minutes while it is cooking. Serve with oyster crackers and cole slaw. Serves 6.