Smoked Whitefish Chowder

I have posted other fish soups previously, and they are favorites because, in addition to taste, they are relatively straightforward to make. Smoked Whitefish Chowder does not fit that description. However, it is a dish so special that it can be served as a main course for company. It was introduced to us by one of our children, who loves to cook no matter how demanding the recipe.

Whitefish looks like the fish any amateur would draw, the archetypal fish, and is found in North American lakes. By the time it is smoked, it becomes golden and wrinkled. The flesh takes on a pinky gray tinge and develops a strong flavor.

Although Smoked Whitefish is what is called for, another smoked fish might work if it was meaty enough to provide 3 cups of skinless, boneless fish. This is a thick and rich dish; although the fish is only added toward the end, there has to be enough so that the other ingredients don’t overwhelm it. When working on taking the fish off the bones, either wear rubber gloves or have a lot of lemon on hand to get off the fish smell.

The soup can be frozen, which is helpful since it is almost too rich to eat several days in a row, although we enjoyed it at two dinners the week our son came and cooked it for the family.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup heavy cream*

1 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 leek, washed and thinly sliced

1 tsp thyme

1 cup dry white wine

3 ½ cups (low sodium) chicken broth

1 10 oz package frozen corn kernels, thawed

3 cups smoked whitefish (approx. 2 lbs of fish with skin and bones)

2 Tbsp chopped dill

2 Tbsp chopped parsley, flat leaf

Dash of Tabasco to taste

*As always, heavy cream may be too rich, in which case one of the following might work: low fat evaporated milk, half and half, whole milk. The pureed potatoes make the soup thick so heavy cream is not necessary for that purpose.

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes chunks with cream and milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large soup pot melt butter and oil. Add onion, celery, leek, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Add wine and boil until nearly evaporated, 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock.
5. Transfer ½ cooked potatoes to a soup pot.
6. Transfer remaining potatoes and all the liquid to a blender and puree until smooth.
7. Add pureed potatoes and corn to soup pot and simmer until corn is just cooked, about 4 minutes.
8. Stir in whitefish, dill, parsley, and Tabasco. 

Cabbage, Potato, and Leek

This Cabbage, Potato, and Leek Soup was meant for Saint Patrick’s Day, but could work any time of the year. It is quite healthy, and with its cross-cultural addition of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, hearty, too.

The recipe took a whole medium size cabbage, with the outer leaves trimmed off and the core left out. Since the soup is NOT pureed, it is necessary to shred the cabbage, either by hand or in a food processor. However, if the consistency isn’t pleasing, a small amount of the soup can be pureed and then put back in the pot to create a smoother base.

Ingredients

6 Tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced

8 cups shredded cabbage

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

2 tsp salt (depending on how much is in the stock)

2 springs of thyme, or two pinches dried

1 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp Grated Parmigiani cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter in soup pot and cook leeks and garlic until soft and beginning to turn golden.
2. Add the cabbage and stir occasionally until cabbage begins to caramelize.
3. Stir in potatoes, stock, salt, pepper, thyme and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook until potatoes begin to disintegrate, about 50 minutes.
5. Add cheese.