Authentic Bermuda Fish Chowder Recipes

FISH CHOWDER (BERMUDA)

Steps:

• Melt the butter and cook the onions, garlic and green pepper in it until soft. Then add the water and the fish filets.
• Add the bay leaves and thyme, then put the peppercorns and whole cloves (if that's what you're using) into a tea ball and drop into the stock.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, the beef consomme, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well incorporated, then add the potatoes, carrots and celery.
• Add the rum and Sherry Peppers sauce and bring back to a boil.
• Reduce heat and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When the chowder is done, remove the tea ball and bay leaves, garnish with the parsley and top each serving with ground black pepper.
• Serve with lemon wedges, extra rum and Sherry Peppers sauce on the side.

NEW ENGLAND FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat a 4 to 6 quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish; reserve.
• Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onions have softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a little water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and boil the potatoes vigorously until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center, about 10 minutes. If the stock hasn't thickened slightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost over season at this point in order to avoid having to stir once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over a low heat until the fish is almost done, 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).
• Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate (only 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, reheat the chowder over a low heat; don't let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (220 degrees F) for a few minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, ladle the creamy broth around and scatter the cracklings over top. Finish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.
• Melt the butter in a heavy 7 to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.
• Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly and let the bones sweat until they have turned completely white, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add enough very hot or boiling water (approximately 2 quarts) to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface (try to leave the herbs, spices and vegetables in the pot).
• Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again and allow it to steep undisturbed for 10 minutes. Ladle through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible.
• Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

BERMUDA FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, green pepper, and garlic; saute about 8 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, and cook 1 minute. Add clam juice, potatoes, canned tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, jalapeno pepper, bay leaf, and ground black pepper. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring about every 30 minutes.
• Add fish. Simmer until snapper is easily flaked with fork, about 10 minutes.

BERMUDA FISH CHOWDER (EASY VERSION)

Steps:

• In a large pot, put the water, fish fillets, salt, and spices. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30-45 minutes.
• In a frying pan, melt butter with oil and briefly saute onions, celery, garlic and green peppers. Then add tomatoes and consomme and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
• Transfer this mixture to the fish stock and add remaining ingredients. Simmer partially covered for 2 hours.
• Adjust seasoning. Serve soup piping hot and pass around the sherry peppers sauce and black rum to add accordingly.

BERMUDA FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook onion, bell pepper, leek, carrots, celery, chopped tomato, and garlic in butter in a 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer briskly, uncovered, 20 minutes.
• Stir in fish, tomato paste, bay leaf, cheesecloth bag of allspice, thyme, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 20 minutes (fish will break up), then restir cornstarch mixture and stir into chowder. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in clams, shrimp, Worcestershire sauce, and rum and gently simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let chowder stand, covered, 1 hour. Gently return to a simmer and stir in Sherry pepper sauce.

BERMUDA FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat up the olive oil in a thick heavy bottomed pan. Add all the chopped vegetables, tomato and garlic and sweat off for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the flour, cinnamon and herbs and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil, then crumble the fish into the pan with the rum, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper, to taste.