30: Light & Creamy Fish Chowder / Toasted Baguette

Here is another recipe from the Cooking for Two cook book my friend gave me for my birthday. You can read about the book here in the intro paragraph of my last recipe. This dish is light and creamy, and the saffron gives it a nice twist. Saffron is considered the world’s most expensive spice because of the labor that goes into producing a packet you can buy at the store. It can be purchased at any grocery store in the spice section. It’s not cheap (around $20), but it goes a long way.

The recipe, which is the 30^th recipe I’ve shared with you, is ready to eat in under an hour, including prep. The recipe calls for a firm white fish, and I just happened to have some swordfish chunks on hand. You could use halibut or cod as well. Swordfish is a meaty and full flavored, yet not fishy, piece of fish. This is a good time to try it if you haven’t before – try shark, too, if you haven’t yet. In Italian cooking, the “Holy Trinity” is carrots, celery, and onion. The “Holy Trinity” is the base for many soups and sauces. My “Holy Trinity” is carrots, fennel, and leeks, and, wow, this comes out incredibly delectable. Toast a baguette to go nicely with this chowder.

Ingredients and Directions:

¾ lb swordfish, ½ inch cubes

2 slices thick bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium fennel bulb – halved, cored, and diced

1 medium carrot, minced

1 leek, cleaned well and coarsely chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

3 cups fish stock

Saffron

Baguette, sliced in half, lightly covered in olive oil

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Parsley, minced for garnish

Cook bacon until crispy over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Pour off the bacon grease, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. The oil won’t take long to heat because the pan will be warm already. Add my Holy Trinity to the pan, with decent pinches of salt and pepper, and cook for about 8 minutes. Add fish stock and saffron threads. Preheat your broiler for the baguette. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Now stir in the cream and bacon, and simmer for a few minutes. Add fish to the pan, season with salt and pepper once more, and cook for another 10 minutes. Toast your baguette in the broiler for a few minutes per side. Ladle chowder into bowls and garnish.

Enjoy!