Wooing Fish Chowder →

I served Craig Claiborne’s version of this dish the first time I cooked for my future wife almost 40 years ago. Little did I know at that time that she would become my favorite sous chef and hostess for dinner parties at Chez Fairfield. The original recipe, “Fish Soup au Cognac”, comes from the New York Times International Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, but I have altered it over the years to make it my own and a bit more like a chowder than a soup. According to Claiborne, the original version makes a wonderful starter for a larger meal. My version incorporates the tastes into a meal in itself. Enjoy them both!

Wooing Fish Chowder

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 1 pound cod or other white, firm-fleshed fish cut into 2-3 inch chunks.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 cup chopped onion (or finely sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only)

• 1 cup chopped fennel bulb or celery (fennel cored, white part only; fronds reserved for garnish)

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (¾ teaspoon dried)

• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

• ½ teaspoon saffron crumbled (optional)

• a couple of dashes of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce

• 1-8 ounce bottle clam juice

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes or puree

• 1 large white Russet potato cut into ½ inch chunks

• 3 tablespoons Brandy or Cognac

• 5 cups of ½ and ½ cream

• ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)

• 1-2 tablespoons Anisette, Pernod, or other anise-flavored liquor (optional but recommended)

• fennel fronds for garnish

Preparation:

1. In a dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, fennel (or celery), fennel seeds, thyme, and saffron until the onion is wilted and the fennel has softened.

2. Add the wine, crushed tomatoes, and clam juice and bring to a boil stirring constantly until the mixture reduces and begins to thicken; lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add the potatoes, then add water to cover the potatoes, and boil until almost tender when pierced with a fork (about 10-15 minutes)

4. Add the fish and lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3-4 minutes

5. Add the cream, salt and pepper, and Brandy and simmer on low for about 5 minutes until the soup is hot. (Do not boil or the cream will curdle.)

6. Remove from heat, add Anisette, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

7. Serve garnished with reserved fennel fronds and accompanied with good crusty bread for dipping.

Wine pairing: non-oaky Chardonnay, Chablis, White Burgundy, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Albariño, Verdejo

Shrimp and Scallop Chowder →

Makes 4 bowls or 6 small cups
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon salt pork + 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

• 2-3 tablespoons butter

• 1 shallot finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons celery, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh fennel bulb chopped (fronds reserved for garnish)

• 1-2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (to taste; optional; available at your local market)

• 2 Russet potatoes peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup bottled clam juice

• 2 cups milk

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 8 ounces scallops

• 8 ounces shrimp

• 2 tablespoons sherry wine
  
  Special Equipment: 
  a dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot

Preparation:
1. Heat the olive oil and brown the salt pork (if you don't use the salt pork, skip this step and melt 3 tablespoons of butter)
2. Melt the butter and saute the vegetables with the Old Bay Seasoning.
3. Mix in the flour stirring to make a roux; cook, stirring regularly for 5 minutes over medium to medium-low heat.
4. Add the warmed milk and clam juice to make the broth.
5. Add the diced potatoes and cook over medium heat until almost fork tender (about 10 minutes)
6. Add the freshly ground black pepper, tomato paste, and heavy cream and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to incorporate the cream and tomato paste into the broth.
7. Add the sherry, scallops, and shrimp and simmer (don't boil) over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes.
8. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

Serve as a main course in bowls with a crusty bread and salad, or as a first-course starter in cups.
For wine, opt for a balanced, not too minerally white wine. A softer Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, or a crisp French Burgundy or not too buttery Chardonnay from California will pair well with this rich, creamy seafood dish.

Mediterranean Seafood Stew →

Variations of the famous French fish stew, Bouillabaisse, can be found in almost any coastal town on the Mediterranean Sea. Bouillabaisse purists, among them the Michelin Guide Vert, love to point out that authentic Bouillabaisse is only made using racasse, a rock fish local to Marseille. Legend has it that, Bouillabaisse originated from the kitchens of local fishermen who made a fish stew using the trash fish from their catch of the day. Julia Child wrote: "to me the telling flavor of bouillabaisse comes from two things: the Provençal soup base—garlic, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, fennel, saffron, thyme, bay, and usually a bit of dried orange peel—and, of course, the fish—lean (non-oily), firm-fleshed, soft-fleshed, gelatinous, and shellfish." So, channeling Julia’s common sense approach to cooking, and not wanting to insult the folks at the Michelin Guide Vert, this recipe uses the traditional flavors of a bouillabaisse paired with our local New England seafood and we call it Mediterranean Fish Stew. No matter what you call it, it’s delicious!

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced, fronds reserved

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 cups seafood stock or bottled clam juice

• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

• Pinch saffron (if you don’t want to spend the money on saffron you can substitute 1 packet of Sazón with Saffron seasoning)

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (tough stems removed)

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 pounds cod, cut into 3 inch serving size pieces

• 1 ½ pounds shrimp, cleaned and peeled

• 1 ½ pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2 Tbs. Anisette, Pernod, or Pastis (optional)

• Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add the seafood stock or clam juice, tomatoes, orange zest and juice, saffron, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Add the cod and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and mussels and cover the pot. Simmer until the seafood is fully cooked (the fish will be firm, the shrimp will be pink, and the mussels will be open and plump and juicy), about 4 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.

4. Stir in the parsley and anise flavored liquor. Top with the reserved fennel fronds and serve with the bread.

Adapted from: https://www.purewow.com/recipes/30-minute-one-pot-cheaters-bouillabaisse

Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

This is a wonderful French-style lamb stew that uses the anise flavors in tarragon and fennel to highlight the rich delicacy of the lamb. The added root vegetables make this a meal in a bowl. Omit any of the root vegetables you may not care for.

serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or top round, cut into 2-inch cubes

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 cups dry red wine

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or 2+ tsp. dried)

• 1 pound baby carrots, peeled

• 1 pound baby parsnips, peeled (or regular parsnips cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

• 1 pound small fingerling potatoes

• 1/2 pound baby turnips, halved (or regular turnip cut into 1 ½ inch cubes)

• 1 cup of cored, chopped fennel bulb, fronds saved

• 1 large shallot, minced

• 2 tablespoons minced parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the flour in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the lamb cubes in 4 batches, tossing to coat thoroughly.

2. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add one-fourth of the lamb cubes and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 6 minutes; transfer to a plate. Brown the remaining floured lamb in 3 batches, adding 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot per batch. Reduce the heat if the casserole bottom darkens too much.

3. Return all of the lamb to the casserole. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the stock and tarragon and return to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and braise the stew in the oven for about 1 hour, or until the meat is nearly tender.

4. Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, fennel and shallot to the lamb stew. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring to distribute the vegetables. Cover the casserole, return it to the oven and cook until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour longer. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and fennel fronds and serve the stew in deep bowls accompanied by a crusty bread to sop up the juices.

A medium-bodied red wine like a Cotes du Rhone, Tempranillo, Garnacha, or lighter Pinot Noir will compliment the flavors in this stew.

Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lamb-stew-with-root-vegetables