Summer Fish Chowder

Mmmmmmm..... this chowder was SO delicious I had to immediately post the recipe.  With the savory, creamy broth, chunks of white cod and potato, spicy jalapeno, and sweet fresh corn and basil this soup had a depth of flavor that keeps you going back for another bite.  Sean picked it out from one of our cook books, 50 Chowders by Jasper White.  It's a great summer recipe because the flavor of the fresh corn and tomatoes really make a difference.  I tweaked the recipe a bit by increasing the bacon, subbing in a different type of fish and amping up the heat by including the jalapeno seeds.  Otherwise I stayed pretty close to the actual recipe in the book.  

Ingredients:

• 3 ears of fresh corn
• 8 oz slab or sliced bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced (I included the seeds and it had a nice level of heat)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, diced
• 1 1/2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced (I used 3 large russet potatoes)
• 4 cups strong fish or seafood stock (I recommend Kitchen Basics brand)
• 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 lbs skinless, boneless cod filet (other meaty white fish will work too)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

  Directions:

Start by husking the corn and cutting the kernels from the cob.  I find the easiest way is to use a large knife, lay the corn flat on the cutting board, and then slice and rotate until you've covered the whole cob.  The kernels are less likely to fly all over the place if you do it this way instead of holding the cob straight up and down as you slice.

Next, heat a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced bacon.  Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered.  Turn up the heat a bit until it starts to crisp.   If there is a lot of fat, drain some until only about 2 tablespoons remain with the bacon.  Then, add the garlic and butter, stir to melt, and cook for about 30 seconds.   Adding butter to bacon fat just compounds the deliciousness...

Add the onion, celery, and jalapeno to the pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and turn heat back to medium.  Saute for about 7-9 minutes until vegetables have started to soften.  

Next, add the corn, potatoes, and stock.  If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a bit of water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt if your stock is unsalted, or low in sodium.  Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.  Keep the pot covered and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 5-7 minutes.  (I did 10 minutes and thought the potatoes were slightly over-cooked)  If the stock hasn't thickened slighlty, mash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir. 

Add the diced tomatoes, and reduce heat to low.  Taste and season mixture assertively with salt and pepper.  (Season now to avoid having to stir a lot once the fish has been added.)   

While the chowder is simmering, add the fish and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.  The fish will finish cooking in this time.  Gently stir in the cream and basil and taste for more salt and pepper.  

Yes.... this is us.

If you are not serving immediately, let it come to room temperature before refrigerating.  Otherwise, serve the chowder and enjoy!  This makes about 8 servings as a main dish.  It was a big hit with our guests, I can't wait to make it again!

   

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo chicken dip is a classic crowd-pleaser and we especially like to make it when we have friends over to watch football.  You get the buffalo chicken flavor without the mess of chicken wings.  Mixed with the creamy cheese, I have to say it is far more tasty than eating plain buffalo chicken.  Opting out of the canned and bottled ingredients, we like to use fresh shredded chicken and homemade blue cheese dressing in our recipe.  I also add some diced celery for a little texture and crunch.  This makes enough for about 6, so double the recipe for a big crowd. 

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups shredded chicken (I usually boil the chicken if I don't have any already cooked)
• 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup blue cheese dressing (recommend home-made, recipe below)
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (recommend Frank's Red Hot)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 celery rib, finely diced
• salt and pepper

Directions:
 
To make the blue cheese dressing:
 In a food processor, combine 3/4 cup heavy cream with 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola, 1/2 cup mayonaisse, and 2 tablespoons white vinegar.  Blend and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Use 1 cup for this recipe and save the remainder for salad dressing.

To make the dip:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, mix the chicken with the celery, cream cheese, and blue cheese dressing until well blended.  

Add the hot sauce and stir to combine.  Fold in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.  Pour the mixture into a small casserole or other baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  The perfect opportunity to use our new ceramic dish we got this year for Christmas, which also kept the dip nice and warm long after it was out of the oven.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serve with celery sticks and crackers or chips.  Yum!

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Sean found this recipe from Food & Wine, and while last year's Thanksgiving stuffing was delicious, we decided to change it up this year with a cornbread recipe.  With the unique addition of roasted poblano peppers, this seemed like a perfect one to try.  We made the cornbread a couple days ahead of time to cut down on the Thanksgiving day preparations.  The flavor of the stuffing was so delicious- a little sweet from the cornbread, and extra savory from the country sausage and vegetable combination.  It was a big hit! 

Ingredients:

• corn bread (made in one 13x9 sized baking dish) We used the recommended country corn bread recipe, but you could also do a box mix. 
• 4 medium poblano chiles
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 pound coarsely ground country sausage meat or breakfast sausage without casings
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup turkey or chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth

Directions:
Break the corn bread into 1-inch pieces and spread on a baking sheet.  Let it dry out for 4 hours (or longer).  We put ours in a barely warm oven for 30 minutes or so to help it dry out faster.  

Heat the broiler and place the poblanos on a foil covered baking sheet.  Roast them until the skin is charred and bubbly on both sides, flipping as needed.  Remove from the oven and fold up the sides of the foil creating a pouch around the peppers.  This will help sweat the skins off so they'll be easier to remove.  After 15-20 minutes, peel the skins off and remove the seeds.  Cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt the butter until foaming. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. 

Add the sausage, breaking it up, and cook until no pink remains.

Stir in the oregano, salt, pepper and poblanos, and finally mix in the corn bread.  Stir in the turkey/chicken stock.

Spread the stuffing in a large buttered casserole dish.  Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer until the top is a golden-brown.  You can also make this ahead of time and refrigerate for 1-2 days before baking.  This was so flavorful and delicous with our Thanksgiving dinner.  The leftovers also made a great savory breakfast!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is always a sign that fall is officially here, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is roasted and pureed into a creamy soup.  Roasting the squash really brings out the sweetness and gives it a much richer flavor.  The potatoes and carrots add some extra body to the soup, and a little condensed apple cider brings in some additional flavor and sweetness.  I also added a bottle of beer  The soup is rounded out with a spoonful of sour cream.  This goes great with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and would also be delicious with some crumbled bacon on top. 
Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, halved vertically
• 2 potatoes, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
• 2 carrots, cut to same size as potatoes
• 1 celery stalk, sliced thinly
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 apples, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons peeled minced ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bottle of beer (lager or octoberfest)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• sour cream
• salt and pepper
• olive oil 
 

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and place the squash, open-side up on the tray.  Scoop out the seeds if you haven't done so already.  Brush or drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  

When the oven is heated, roast the squash for about 40-50 minutes or until you can easily pierce through it with a fork. Remove and let cool until it is no longer too hot to handle.

While the squash is roasting, start to prepare the other vegetables.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot.  Add the potato, carrot, onion, and celery.  Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic, ginger, and apple and cook for 5 minutes longer.

Pour in the beer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, then add the chicken broth and cider.

When you can handle the squash, slice the meat into cubes without piercing through the skin, and then scoop out the flesh and add to the pot. 

 

 Stir to incorporate the squash, and then add the nutmeg.  Taste for salt and pepper.

Simmer the soup, covered, until the vegetables are tender.  In two or three batches, puree the soup in your blender until smooth.  

Return to the pot and keep hot until ready to serve.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream.