Amberjack Chowder

Amberjack Chowder


I made this dish with amberjack because it was what I had on hand, but you could use any firm, white fish.  In fact, I used this as a way to use up old back-of-the-freezer fish that I figured wouldn't be very good as a featured dish on its own.  Because the flavors of the chowder are so bold, the fish doesn't necessarily have to be top notch.  I wouldn't use canned tuna or anything, but its a great opportunity to clean out the freezer.

Here it is....

As always, I don’t cook from recipes so these measurements are completely pulled out of my rear end, but they should be reasonably close.  Taste often throughout the process and adjust according to your taste.

2 tbs bacon grease

2 tbs butter

1 sweet onion, diced

2 large ribs celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 link smoked sausage, sliced thin

¼ cup flour

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups milk

2 cups stock

2 cups corn

1 can new potatoes, drained and diced

1.5 lbs AJ (or other fish) filets

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp fennel seeds

1/4tsp cayenne

Kosher salt, cracked pepper to taste

Sweat onion, celery, garlic in grease and butter over medium heat. Add bay leaves, fennel, then add sausage and cook until slightly browned.  Add flour and stir for about 3 min.  Stir in all liquid slowly to avoid lumps.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer.  Add corn and potatoes and season with cayenne, salt and pepper.  Season fillets with your favorite seafood seasoning (I used Everglades Seasoning).  Add AJ and place the lid on the pot and continue simmering 5 min or so.  Use your stirring spoon to break up the fish into bite size chunks.  Simmer 5 more minutes or so and you’re ready to go.  I poured a little of the Yuengling I was drinking in there at the end to thin it out a bit, you could do the same or add more milk/stock.