Alright, let’s talk about making that halibut chowder I tackled the other day. It’s one of those things, you get a craving, you see some good fish, and suddenly your afternoon is booked.
Getting Started
So, I had this nice piece of halibut sitting there. First things first, had to get everything prepped. I always underestimate the chopping. Onions, celery, potatoes – the usual suspects. Got those diced up. Took longer than I planned, always does. Then the bacon. Gotta have bacon in chowder, adds that smoky flavor, you know?
I chopped up maybe half a pack? Threw it into my big heavy pot. Started rendering it down, nice and slow. The kitchen started smelling amazing right away. That’s the best part starting off.
Cooking It Up
Once the bacon was crispy, I scooped it out, left the drippings in there. Tossed in the onions and celery. Let those soften up for a few minutes, stirring them around. Got that nice sizzle sound going.
Then, I sprinkled in some flour. Just a couple of tablespoons. Stirred that around for a minute, let it cook off that raw flour taste. Poured in some clam juice and chicken broth. Whisked it like crazy to make sure there were no lumps. Bringing that up to a simmer.
Next, the potatoes went in. Let those guys cook until they were just getting tender. You gotta test them with a fork. Don’t want mushy potatoes, but definitely don’t want hard ones either. Finding that balance is key.
The Fish and Finish
Okay, now the star: the halibut. I cut it into bite-sized chunks. Gently added those into the pot. Fish cooks super quick, so you just need a few minutes. Stirred it carefully, didn’t want to break up the fish too much.
Once the fish looked opaque, I poured in the heavy cream. This is where it really becomes chowder. Stirred that in, let it heat through but didn’t let it boil hard. Boiling can make the cream curdle sometimes, learned that the hard way once.
Right at the end, stirred back in the crispy bacon I saved. Added some salt and pepper. Tasted it. Needed a bit more salt. Always taste and adjust, right?
End Result
And that was basically it. Ladled it into bowls. Maybe sprinkled some fresh parsley on top if I’m feeling fancy, didn’t this time though. Just wanted to eat. It came out pretty good, thick, creamy, plenty of fish. A solid bowl of chowder after an afternoon of chopping and stirring. Worth the effort, usually is.
