Chuck's Three-Day Fish Chowder

Cooking Instructions

1. On day one, clean fish and filet. Refrigerate filets for chowder, then rinse skeleton for stock. Prepare Fish Stock according to recipe below. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

2. On day two, prepare chowder base. Mince garlic, dice celery and onion, and set aside. Dice salt pork, then cook in a skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove pork from skillet, drain on paper towels, and reserve for garnish. In the same skillet, add garlic, celery, onions, bay leaf, and thyme to rendered fat and cook over low heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Add fish, skin up, and 1/2 cup water. Cover, simmer for 4 minutes, then peel skin off fish. Refrigerate fish and vegetables.

3. On day three, prepare fish chowder. Skim fat from stock. Slowly pour stock into a large pot, leaving "sludge" behind. Add potatoes and cooked vegetables to stock. Set aside fish. Cover and simmer over medium heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in milk and cream, then flake fish into chowder. Simmer (do not boil) until hot. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco. Ladle into bowls, top with salt pork, and sprinkle with paprika.

Wine Pairing(s)

Cloud 9 Zinfandel Sierra Foothills Seity

Clayton Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi

Frei Brothers Reserve Syrah

Marquis Philips Shiraz

Yalumba Shiraz-Viognier

Virgin Vines Shiraz

St. Francis Syrah

Kilikanoon 'The Lackey' Shiraz

Montevina Zinfandel

Paul Jaboulet Aine La Chapelle