The essence of this dish is the sweet flavor of fresh fish. It’s a New England and Nantucket favorite. This is a light chowder allowing the fresh ingredients to shine.
Helpful Hints:
- Cod is a flaky white fish common to New England fish. Select whatever fish looks fresh. Try to choose a fairly firm fish if selecting a substitute such as grouper or mahi mahi.
- Any type of clams, littleneck or cherrystone, will work in this chowder.
- Chipotle pepper seasoning can be found in the spice section of the market. It is made from dried red jalapeno peppers and has a smoky flavor.
- To wash clams, scrub shells under cold running water. Tap any clams that are open on the counter. If they do not close, discard them. Also, discard any clams that do not open when cooked.
Nantucket Fish Chowder
Makes 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sliced red onion
1 cup sliced celery
3/4 pound russet or Idaho potatoes, washed without peeling, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups cubed)
1 cup low-sodium seafood broth
2 cups water
3/4 pound cod, rinsed, dried with paper towel and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound clams, scrubbed (about 5 large clams)
3 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons light cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add potatoes to saucepan with seafood broth and water. Raise heat to high, bring to a boil, cover and boil 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add fish, clams, thyme, and chipotle seasoning. Simmer, covered, 3 to 4 minutes. The clams should be open. Discard any clams that are not open. Mix flour with cream, stir to remove lumps and add to the chowder. Remove from heat and stir to combine. The flour will cook in the residual heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon chowder into two soup bowls and serve.
Per serving: 440 calories, 110 calories from fat, 12 g fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 6.0 g monounsaturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 42 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugars, 550 mg sodium, 1970 mg potassium, 615 mg phosphorus
