Description
Ina Garten’s baked fish chowder brings creamy comfort from coastal New England kitchens. Seafood lovers savor rich textures and delicate flavors you’ll want to recreate at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 900g / 2 lbs fresh skinless cod fillets
- 225g / ½ lb thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, ¾-inch diced
- 1.35kg / 6 cups yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced crosswise (3 large)
- 375g / 3 cups (½-inch) diced celery (6 large stalks)
- 450g / 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2-inch diameter), peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 950ml / 4 cups seafood stock, heated to a simmer
- 175ml / ¾ cup good dry white wine, such as Chablis
- 120ml / ½ cup half-and-half
- 120ml / ½ cup heavy cream
- 55g / 4 tbsps (½ stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsps Pernod liqueur
- ¾ tsp saffron threads
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Minced fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Crisp bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until golden, then transfer to a separate plate using a slotted spoon.
- Vegetable Sauté: Utilize bacon fat to caramelize onions, celery, and thyme for 10-12 minutes until soft and lightly browned.
- Wine Deglazing: Pour white wine into the pot, season with salt and black pepper, scrape browned bits, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Layering Foundation: Create alternating layers of onion mixture, potatoes, and butter in the pot, ensuring even distribution.
- Initial Baking: Add heated seafood stock and saffron threads, cover, and bake at 175°C / 350°F for 30-40 minutes until potatoes near tenderness.
- Fish Integration: Cut cod into large chunks, season with salt and pepper, then gently nestle into the partially cooked potato mixture.
- Final Baking: Pour half-and-half and heavy cream over the fish, ensuring complete submersion, and bake covered for 20-30 minutes until fish flakes easily.
- Flavor Refinement: Fold crispy bacon and Pernod into the chowder, allowing flavors to meld while preserving the fish’s delicate texture.
- Serving: Ladle into shallow bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately to capture the chowder’s vibrant essence.
Notes
- Bacon Prep: Crisp bacon over medium-low heat to develop deep golden color and maximize flavor without burning.
- Vegetable Technique: Sauté onions, celery, and thyme slowly to achieve soft texture and light caramelization, which builds foundational flavor profile.
- Fish Handling: Cut cod into large, uniform chunks to ensure even cooking and prevent delicate fish from breaking apart during baking.
- Cream Integration: Add half-and-half and heavy cream gently to prevent curdling, ensuring smooth and luxurious chowder consistency.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 90mg