The Cunning Whisk

Lent is upon us and I noticed the local grocery store was having a massive sale on seafood. Well, actually, they were having a massive sale on pretty much every kind of protein except peanut butter. That’s beside the point, though. The other day I made some delicious Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup, and at first I had the idea to make the same with fish and some substituted spices. However, that might get boring, since I cook in such large quantities. So, I came up with a chowder instead.

Ingredients:

In the 8th century, Charlemagne used dill at banquets to relieve hiccups.

Dill was purportedly brought to Europe by monks who believed it could be used to chase off the devil. Thus, it was often used as a ward against witches in the Middle Ages.

• 4 c. seafood stock
• 8 c. milk
• 4 russet potatoes (4 c.)
• 2 lg. celery stalks (1/2 c.)
• 3/4 – 1 lb. salmon
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 lg. garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Start off by finely mincing the garlic cloves. Sauté them in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. It may take a few minutes this way, but the garlic shouldn’t burn. When it just starts to turn golden (read: NOT golden brown), take it off the heat.

In a stock pot, combine the seafood stock and milk. For seafood stock I used one can of Bar Harbor All Natural Fish Stock and one can of the same in Lobster Stock. They also make Clam Stock, so mix and match for the subtle flavor you want. For the milk, don’t use low fat unless you want thin soup. If all you have is low fat milk, or you’re just determined to use it, you can thicken the liquid up later with a little cheat I like to call mashed potato flakes. Just add a very little at a time after cooking (no more than a cup) until the desired consistency is reached. Into the pot of liquid mix dill, salt, pepper and garlic.

Dice the butter and celery and add to mixture. Wash and peel the potatoes. Dice them into approximately 1/2 inch cubes and add them to pot, as well. Now, turn your attention to the salmon. I found that the easiest way to cut the portions is as follows:

With a knife, score the salmon fillet into 1/2 inch squares, all the way down to the skin. Don’t worry about cutting through the skin, though. Once the fish is scored, insert your fingers between two squares and try to gently pry one up. Repeat. You should be able to get all the salmon squares off of the skin with minimal damage or effort. Put the fish with the rest of the ingredients and set the pot over medium heat to procure a very slow, foaming boil. Continue cooking for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure you scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to avoid burning the dairy! Over time, the soup should begin to thicken into a more recognizable chowder. If it doesn’t, see the cheat in paragraph two.

Et voilà! Salmon Potato Chowder.

If I had a crème brûlée torch, I would definitely serve this in ramekins and top it with a crust of mozzarella cheese and a sprig of fresh parsley. Maybe with a side of some crusty bread.

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Ingredients:

African legend claims that basil protects against scorpions, while the English botanist Culpeper cites one “Hilarius, a French physician” as affirming it as common knowledge that smelling basil too much would breed scorpions in the brain.
• 4 cans crab meat
• 1 can fine minced clams
• 32 oz. half-n-half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. crushed basil leaves
• 3/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1.5 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 5 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• green onions, chopped
• <2 oz. dry sherry

Directions:
Melt butter and flour in 5 qt. saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in milk and creamer and simmer on low until thickened. Add in Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, basil and green onions (optional, to taste). Stir until thoroughly blended. Drain and add in clams and crab meat. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Mix in sherry just before serving.

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