Fish Chowder

Served at John and Bryony Simons' Christmas Eve wedding.

Adapted from Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy

Fish Chowder

Fish (haddock and striped bass are best)

6-8 good sized slices salt pork

Split crackers

Black pepper

Red pepper

Chopped onion

Pounded cracker

Mushroom catsup (recipe to follow)

Port wine (optional)

1 lemon, juice and slices

Salt (optional)

Cut fish into pieces 1 inch thick and 2 inches square. Put salt pork in the bottom of an iron pot and fry them in the pot until crisped. Take out the pork, leaving the fat. Chop the pork fine. Put in the pot a layer of fish, a layer of split crackers, some of the chopped pork, black and red pepper, and chopped onion, then another layer of fish, split crackers, and seasoning. This do until you have used your fish. Then just cover the fish with water and stew slowly till the fish is perfectly tender. Take out the fish, and put it in the dish in which you mean to serve it; set it to keep warm. Thicken the gravy with pounded cracker; add, if you like, mushroom catsup and Port wine. Boil the gravy up once and pour over the fish; squeeze in lemon and garnish with lemon slices. If not salty enough from the pork, more must be added.

From "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony'"

All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org.

Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com.

Fish Chowder

The fish chowder below first appeared in the Ford Motor Company’s, The Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places. From the collection of The Henry Ford.

Fish Chowder

By the former Green Shutters Inn, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

2 ½ pounds fish (halibut, cod, or haddock)

2 ounces salt fat pork

1 large onion

2 medium-size potatoes

1 quart milk or cream

6 crackers

Salt and pepper

Dice pork, onions, and potatoes. Boil fish in small amount of water until nearly separated from the bones. Remove skin and bones; break up any large pieces of fish. Save water. Fry pork in soup pot until cubes are a delicate brown. Add onion, potatoes, and fish water. When the potatoes are soft, add fish, milk, or cream. Heat, but do not boil! Roll crackers and add to chowder. Season to taste and serve.

From "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony'"

All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org.

Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com/Dalton_s_Dry_Goods.html..

Fish Chowder

When Melissa and her family arrived in Munsonville, they stopped for lunch at Sue’s Diner on Main Street, a dingy, squat-looking gray building with surprisingly good food. Still, Melissa and Brian played it safe and ordered cheeseburgers. 

Fish Chowder

By the former Green Shutters Inn, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

2 ½ pounds fish (halibut, cod, or haddock)

2 ounces salt fat pork

1 large onion

2 medium-size potatoes

1 quart milk or cream

6 crackers

Salt and pepper

Dice pork, onions, and potatoes. Boil fish in small amount of water until nearly separated from the bones. Remove skin and bones; break up any large pieces of fish. Save water. Fry pork in soup pot until cubes are a delicate brown. Add onion, potatoes, and fish water. When the potatoes are soft, add fish, milk, or cream. Heat, but do not boil! Roll crackers and add to chowder. Season to taste and serve.

From "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony'"

All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org.

Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com/Dalton_s_Dry_Goods.html.