Blackfish Chowder Recipes

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.

FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute onions, mushrooms and celery in butter until tender.
• Add chicken stock and potatoes; simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add fish, and simmer another 10 minutes.
• Mix together clam juice and flour until smooth; stir into soup and simmer for 1 minute more. Season to taste with Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in evaporated milk. Top each bowl with crumbled bacon, if desired.

COUNTRY FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook onion and bacon over medium heat until bacon is crisp; drain. Add milk, corn, clams, potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes., Stir in fish and heat through. Ladle into bowls. If desired, top with bacon and chives.

BLACKFISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Rinse fish and pat dry.
• Cut into bite sized (1/2 inch pieces) and set aside.
• In a small skillet sauté bacon until crisp.
• Remove bacon, blot excess fat with paper towels, crumble and set aside.
• Discard bacon dripping except for approximately 2 tablespoons.
• Add onions and sauté in bacon fat until tender but not brown.
• Transfer onions to a deep saucepan and add potatoes and water.
• Cover and bring to a gentle boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add fish and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until fish and potatoes are done.
• In a small bowl combine flour and clam juice and stir with a fork until smooth.
• Add to fish and potato mixture stirring constantly to blend flour into cooking liquid.
• Stir in evaporated milk, butter and salt and pepper to taste.
• Continue heating over medium heat until chowder thickens.
• Garnish with crumbled bacon before serving.

PAN ROAST LOUISIANA BLACKFISH WITH CORN, CRAB AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and flour. Lightly score the skin side of the fillets several times to form a cross hatch pattern without cutting into the flesh of the fish. Season the portions of the blackfish with salt and a touch of lemon juice. Dredge the seasoned fish into the Parmesan/flour mixture.
• In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Add fillets, skin side down. Cook until skin is crisp, about 4 minutes. Flip fish and cook until fish is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the pan and place on absorbent towels to rest in a warm place for a moment, while the plate is being composed.
• To serve, remove the Silver Queen Corn Pudding from molds and place into large, shallow bowls. Over the warm pudding, place a portion of fish. Over the fish, spoon on the Saute of Crab and Baby Corn. Carefully pour a small ladle of Silver Queen Foam around the fish. With 2 demitasse spoons, form the caviar into quenelle or egg shapes and place over the fish next to the bed of corn and crab. Lightly garnish the fish with chives, chive blossoms, dill and chervil.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• In a 4 quart saucepan, bring cream and corn to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl.
• In another mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly pour the hot corn mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs. Pour the custard into individual custard cups or molds, preferably nonstick. Place the molds in a roasting pan and pour hot water in the pan to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Bake until custards are just set, about 20 minutes.
• In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add crab and corn, cook, stirring, until mixture is just heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and season with hot pepper sauce and salt.
• Cut lemongrass into 2-inch pieces and bruise with the back of a knife. Place lemongrass in a piece of cheesecloth and tie closed.
• Combine lemongrass, stock and corn in a saucepan. Gently bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes, remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Remove cheesecloth, puree mixture in blender, and pour through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible.
• When ready to use, bring the broth to a boil, season to taste with salt, whisk in butter and froth with a hand-held immersion blender.

MAINE FISH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Fry salt pork to render all fat in a heavy kettle and then remove.
• Add potatoes, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Cover with hot water and cook over medium heat, covered, 15 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.
• Do not overcook.
• Meanwhile, cut fish into large chunks and put into another saucepan.
• Add boiling water to cover and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
• Cook slowly, covered, until fish is fork tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Strain and reserve liquid.
• Remove any bones from fish.
• Add fish and strained liquid to potato-onion mixture.
• Pour in milk and leave on stove long enough to heat through, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in butter and pepper.
• Serve at once.