Fish Chowder

If you've read this blog before, you know that I like food that is easy, as well as a nice big warm bowl of soup or stew.  Well, another thing I like is recipes that are highly adaptable.  While I try to meal plan, I'm not great at keeping track of what is actually in my cupboard.  My poor husband does regularly have to make a quick run to the grocery store to get me whatever it is I may need.  So, I like a recipe where you don't really NEED anything.  A "throw in what you've got" recipe.

I feel like this recipe suits that need.

I also liked the fact that this soup was very light.  Cream soups are often quite heavy - especially chowders - and make me feel like I should probably do a bunch of sit-ups.  Except for the goopy chowder is now sitting like a rock in the pit of my stomach, so sit-ups are really out of the question.

This was very light, and almost tasted a little citrus-y to me, even though there's no citrus in the recipe.  I would suggest using a high quality champagne or white wine vinegar.  It's the only acid in the recipe, and the flavor is important.  I feel like it's a good light winter meal, but also would probably be very good in the summer.  Also, if you're not limited in your ingredients, you could do a lot of experimenting with the recipe base.  I feel like shrimp could be a nice addition, or maybe some bay scallops.  Or both.  Add them at the end where you would have added the fish (or add fish to for a super-seafood chowder!)

I added corn, which was not in the original recipe, because I had some frozen corn from the summer.  You could also add mushrooms, for a richer, earthier chowder.  Or, really, whatever vegetables you have!

I also could have topped this with the corn salsa I made during my canning frenzy, but I totally didn't think about it until it was too late.

Also, I want to point out that this recipe has NO garlic.  NONE?  Yes, none.  And it still tasted good.  I am shocked.  I didn't feel like it needed it...

Trout and Potato Chowder

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped (celery saves in the freezer well for purposes like this.  So plan ahead for the winter!  Wait, it's too late.  Sorry, I should have told you that two months ago.)
• 1 lb potatoes, unpeeled
• 4 cups stock (fish, vegetable, or chicken.  I don't feel like my fish stock has quite enough flavor, so I used 2 cups fish and two cups chicken.)
• 2/3 cups dry white wine
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb fresh white fish (I used rushing waters trout)
• 1/2 lb smoked fish (again, rushing waters trout...)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

In a large frying pan over medium heat (or using the browning feature on your slow cooker if it has one), melt the butter.  Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, about 6 minutes.  Transfer the contents of pans to a slow cooker (if not already there!)

Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.  Top with stock, wine, tarragon, ham, and corn.  Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours.  The potatoes should be very tender.

Cut the fresh fish into 1 inch pieces.  Remove the skin from the smoked fish, discard the skin, and flake the smoked fish into pieces.  Add the fish and cream to the slow cooker, and increase the setting to high.  Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until fish is firm and opaque.  Stir in the vinegar, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

As a final note: Come on, Russia!  Where did you go?  Germany is taking a big lead.  But you can crush them!  Click on a bunch of links.  You don't have to read anything, just click the links.  Lets get those international page views up!

Falling Off the Wagon Never Tasted So Good.

In my opinion, I have been doing really well in my locavore eating habits.  Not including things that were already in my house before starting, spices, olive oil, and wine, I haven't been eating much not grown locally.  Orange juice, fruit, yogurt, cereal... I haven't really been able to find these things locally.  I know that fruit will get better as it gets warmer, and I have a plan to try to make my own yogurt...

But today was a stressful day, and I cheated.  I'll admit it - I cheated.  I bought a portabella mushroom from the grocery store because I didn't have time to go to the farmer's market last week and I wanted a stuffed mushroom.  And I bought pasta from the grocery store instead of making it myself.  AND it wasn't even good pasta.  Plain, white, bad for me pasta.  According to Alton Brown, American Comfort Food is "in no particular order, ooey, gooey, cheesy, fatty, saucy, and starchy."  He was talking about lasagna.  But I think I've got all my bases covered too.

But that's okay.  I'm a stress eater and I admit it.  On top of that, I had my braces tightened yesterday (and I mean REALLY tightened), so I couldn't really eat much of anything.  I wanted mac & cheese, and I wanted a stuffed mushroom.  As I said in my first post, this isn't about me depriving myself, it's about thinking ahead, learning how to make more from less, and supporting local business. 

And I did make this meal as local as possible.  I used a new product I just found: Rushing Waters Trout Spread.  Rushing Waters is a trout farm about 45 miles west of where I live, and I have seen their products in the fish case at my local grocery store, but I've never tried them.  They also offer salmon spread (although the salmon isn't local), smoked trout and salmon, and fresh trout.  I haven't tried their fish yet, but am planning on ordering some. All of the cheese was also local.

Macaroni and Cheese is one of my favorite dishes.  I know it's not good for me, but it makes me so happy!  I have a secret, proprietary blend of cheeses that I use for my mac & cheese.  I call it: whatever I have in my fridge that is molding.  It's a great way to use up the cheese; just cut off the mold and go!

Trout and Goat Cheese Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Cap: 

(for 1 serving)

• 1 portabella mushroom cap, washed or brushed clean - depending on your preference for cleaning mushrooms
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 tbsp Rushing Waters Smoked Trout Spread (local)
• 1-2 oz goat Cheese (local)
• Fresh Chives (from my garden!)

Remove stem from mushroom, cutting a small, shallow hole into the cap.  Drizzle mushroom cap with olive oil and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Stuff trout spread into the hole in the cap, and top with goat cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melty and the mushroom is soft.  Broil for 5 minutes until cheese gets a little golden on top.  Top with chives.

Kate's Super Secret Mac and Cheese Recipe

• 8 oz pasta (I like shells because they hold the cheese inside of them... but you could use anything.  I don't know how I could possibly make shell pasta mayself)
• 2 tbsp butter (local)
• 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream - it's not like this is trying to be good for you.  Why not use the cream! (local)  
• 2 cups shredded cheese - this time I used cheddar, Munster, goat, the brilliantly named Menage Cheese (it's a blend of cow, goat, and sheep milk), and a small block of a hard white cheese with about a quarter inch of mold on the outside of it.  I guess I can't guarantee that one was local.  I'm pretty sure it was cheese, though.

Cook pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water.  While it is cooking shred cheese.  Melt butter in a large frying pan and then add cream.  Cook, stirring constantly, until it is hot but not boiling.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Stir in cooked pasta.

Some times, I will add more cheese and/or garlic breadcrumbs to the top of this and then broil until it is melty, but you can eat it as is too.  This is a very versatile recipe, and takes any additional ingredients well: chicken, sausage, mushrooms, broccoli, etc.  Whatever you want.  Just mix it in with the noodles and eat!