Fish Chowder Revisited

I picked up this cookbook at the public library's recent used booksale. The New American Plate Cookbook.  I adore it.  It's all about incorporating more veggies into your diet, since the "new American plate" is half veg with a little whole grain and meat instead of half meat with a lot o' potato and a bit of veg.  And I, for one, am all for it. 

I'm usually a bit suspicious of "health" cookbooks, but everything I've tried from this book has turned out great.  Ok, I do have a little secret, though.  I have a habit of purposely adding extra fat to these lean, mean recipes.  Yes.  I add fat.  Fat in the form of butter, oil, cheese, cream...I can't help it.  Maybe it's because it's winter and I need to work on that extra layer before the temps dip below zero.  Maybe it's because I've been brainwashed by watching too much Paula "just add some whippin' cream" Deen.  Or maybe it's because I just like food to taste good.  Whatever it is, when I saw this recipe for chowder with fish and veggies, I knew I had to try it.  And when I saw the recipe call for skim milk and fat-free evaporated milk, I knew I had to pick up a carton of whippin' cream.

Paula would be proud.

Actually, Paula wouldn't care, because she's too busy diving into her silo of gold coins and treasures a la Scrooge McDuck.  But before she made her millions, I bet she would've approved.



Fish Chowder
Adapted from The New American Plate. I wrote about another chowder recipe last year, but this one has the welcome addition of veggies.  Yes, you can use less cream or incorporate skim milk, but in my personal opinion, it won't be nearly as tasty.

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 lb. fresh walleye fillets (or other firm white fish), cut into 1" pieces
1 cup clam juice (look in juice section of grocery store)
3 cups whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and carrots and cook for 5 min, stirring often, until onion is softened.  Add clam juice, milk, cream, potato, corn, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Ladle a couple scoops of vegetables and broth into a blender; puree until smooth, then pour back into soup.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add spinach, fish, and thyme.  Simmer for 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through.  Adjust seasonings, remove bay leaf, and serve.