Kinda off topic...

[Jan from Humboldt]

But being winter this will warm you up and put a big smile on your mug.

I was in the mood for something thick and tasty and stew just didn't sound good so I decided a chowder would be the hot ticket.

Here's how I made it...

Started off with a quarter pound of fine diced bacon browned in the stew pot.

Drain most of the grease off into a container, also drain off the bacon and set aside.

One 4" sweet onion diced into the pot and cooked medium heat till it gets soft (You might need to add a teaspoon or so of that bacon grease back in).

While it's doing its thing dice into small chunks, 3 fist size Yukon gold spuds, 3stalks of celery finely diced and one carrot fine grated. When the onions are soft go ahead and dump all the veggies into the pot with the onions and cut the heat to low for a bit.

While you were doing all this stuff you also had chunked up a pound or two of boneless skinless fillets (1" or less) put it into a seperate pot with about two cups of water, add a little salt but not too much and spice it up a little, I use Greek seasoning and pinch of Emrils dry rub for chicken.

Turn up the heat and as soon as it starts to boil remove it.

Strain the juice (Aka Fish stock) into the big pot with the spuds and turn up the heat, you might need to add a little water here as you want to just barely cover the spuds.

Also add a table spoon of butter and a healthy pinch of saffron

This is where I also start tasting for seasoning, it shouldn't need salt but you might like to add a little something else to your taste.

I set the fish aside in the fridge, cover the pot and set the heat to medium ot just above simmer.

This isn't a race, it's is a labor of love so low and slow will taste better.

After a half hour or so the spuds ought to be done, add the fish and a cup or so of heavy whipping cream or half and half.

Stir the fish in gently as it will fragment easily and add the bacon back in. Let it simmer another 15 minutes or so so it all blends and dive in. The saffron will turn it a buttery golden yellow and the taste is out of this world.

Now here is the surprize, the fish I used today was a 50/50 mix of sole and hake I caught out there while fishing butts this year.

I'm pleasntly surprised at the taste and texture of the hake in this chowder.

So next time you bring one up rather than cussing it, gut it quick and toss it into the ice chest and use it for fish chowder.

This basic recipe can be used with all kinds of white fleshed fish, the halibut and sole/flounder are especially good as they lend themselves to this sort of cooking. It will also work with abalone and crab.

Enjoy.