As the days grow shorter and colder, I always find myself cooking warm comfort foods. Casseroles, pot pie, mashed potatoes, and soups are some of my favorites. This chowder is a great addition to your comfort food recipe list.
Now, as I’m writing, I find myself being taken back a few years to when I was traveling in Norway. It was evening and we were back in our cabin in the mountains after a rainy and slightly chilly day of hiking and enjoying the beautiful views. For dinner, we made salmon chowder. We used a chowder soup mix for the base of the soup and added fresh Norwegian salmon to it. I remember melting into the warmth and creaminess of the chowder. It was delicious. I come back to that memory quite a bit, enjoying the chowder again in my mind. I hope this chowder creates similar warm memories for you.
For the fish in this chowder recipe, I used haddock fillet. Haddock is a whitefish and member of the cod family. It is fairly meaty and firm and keeps its shape and texture well. Also, it’s a nice choice because of its mild flavor.
This recipe makes a fairly thin chowder. If you would like to make it thicker you can use a roux. After you saute the vegetables, put them in a bowl. Add a several tablespoons (about 6) of butter in the pot and allow to melt. Add the same number of tablespoons flour and stir continuously for about 30 seconds to cook the flour. Slowly add the broth to the pot stirring with a whisk to dissolve the roux and break up any lumps. Now you can add the vegetables back to the pot and continue on with the recipe.
If you don’t want the added step of a roux, you can mash up some of the potatoes after they’re tender and this will give the soup more body.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 onion diced
- 1 celery rib diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 medium potatoes cut into bite sized pieces
- 4-5 cups water or broth (vegetable or chicken broth)
- 2 haddock fillets cut in 1 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons dill
- 1 cup cream
- salt & pepper to taste
Ingredients
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- In a stock pot, heat a couple tablespoon of oil or butter over medium high heat. Add the mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrots) and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes so the onions become translucent and carrots and celery soften.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, a bit more salt, and the water/broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender but don't fall apart.
- Carefully add the haddock to the pot along with the dill. Continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and begins to flake.
- Gently stir in the cream and taste for additional salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for a few minutes for the flavors to come together.
- Serve with a warm crusty baguette or warm sourdough bread.