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Smoked Haddock and Celeriac Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "Cold Weather Cooking" by Sarah Leah Chase


Recipe Introduction

"This soup is made in the fashion of a hearty New England clam chowder except that I have substituted smoked haddock for the clams and intensely flavored celery root for the potatoes. I suspect most chowder aficionados will love the arresting flavors in this innovation."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 8 ounces sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch dice
â—¦ 1 large onion, chopped
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dried thyme
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dried chervil
â—¦ 2 medium knobs celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
â—¦ 5 cups fish broth or bottled clam juice
â—¦ 1 cup dry white wine
â—¦ 1 ¼ pounds smoked haddock
â—¦ 2 cups milk
â—¦ 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
â—¦ Paprika for garnish


Recipe

Fry the bacon in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

Pour all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pot. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and chervil; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes.

Add the celeriac to the pot and toss to combine with the vegetables. Pour in the fish broth and the white wine. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the celeriac is very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, place the smoked haddock in a saucepan and pour the milk over it. Heat to boiling, then simmer until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan, reserving the milk, and set aside to cool slightly.

Purée half the soup in a blender or food processor; return to the pot and mix with the remaining soup. Flake the haddock into bite-size pieces and stir into the soup with the reserved milk. Stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup over low heat about 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Just before serving, stir in the reserved bacon. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each portion with parsley and paprika.

Makes 6 to 8 servings