Fish Chowder

This recipe is adjustable by the amount of ingredients used.  This soup is good the next few days, so I tend to make a large pot of it.  4 to 5 # potatoes to 2 or 3 large fish filets. I tend to cook without salt & pepper and season later.

In large Stock Pot: Peel potatoes and cube, they do not need to be all the same size roughly 1 ½ to 2 inches.  Add enough water to just cover potatoes. Put on stove to bring to a boil.

Peel medium to large onion, sliced or diced, add to potatoes.

Optional:  Several cloves garlic, minced or use dried chopped garlic to taste.

Cut cleaned, skinned fish filets in 2 inch strips pulling out any obvious bones.  Rinse in cold water, changing water several times.  Place in colander to drip off excess water.

Take 1/2 cup of the potato water out of the pot to cool before adding the fish or corn.

Mix the ½  cup cooled  potato water with flour ( you want it fairly thick) to thicken soup later.

Optional:  can of corn, undrained or creamed corn, can use frozen corn just put in to potatoes  when half cooked.

When potatoes are almost cooked drop in fish strips and 1 stick butter.  Stirring occasionally. Fish will break in to chunks

When fish is cooked ( 5 – 10 minutes ) Stir in flour water mixture,( if really lumpy pour thru a sieve) Stirring constantly ( carefully don’t want to mush up the fish ) until thickened. Stir in 1 to 2 cups half and half ( or more to taste ) If necessary can add instant mashed potatoes a little at a time  to thicken .

Optional: Before serving:  Fried bacon pieces & some  bacon drippings added to soup,

Jan Koneczny     Mrs.ladykdk@yahoo.com

Fish Cakes

If you have left over cooked fish or want to plan ahead for another meal.

In a large bowl break up with a fork or your hands Left over cooked fish fillets. Breaded fish is fine.  Mince onion, ( optional : celery, green/ red peppers finely grated carrots, garlic powder ) mix in 1 egg, bread or cracker crumbs salt and pepper to taste. Make small patties and fry in skillet with enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. You can always add oil as needed.

If cakes are too sticky, add more bread or cracker crumbs or bread the patties in extra cracker crumbs, then brown in oil. Turn patty over & brown other side.

If cakes are too dry to stick together, add a little mayonnaise.

( another egg may make them too sticky. )

I have used leftover cooked rice in place of bread / cracker crumbs and then breaded them in the crumbs.

Suggestions:

Serve on small hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, tartar sauce or mayonnaise.

Serve patties with slightly diluted cream of mushroom soup, potatoes or cooked rice.

Jan Koneczny     Mrs.ladykdk@yahoo.com

Easy Grilled  Fish

Two sheets aluminum foil ( One on top of the other ) 5 inches longer than the fish fillets.

Layer sliced onions, pats of butter or margarine on aluminum foil, lay one fish filet skin side down on onions & butter. Sprinkle with salt & pepper ( garlic & onion powder optional ) layer fish with  sliced onions & pats of  butter. Salt and pepper second fish filet and Place second fish filet on top of onions & butter skin, side up, but reverse the position of the filet …. Place layer onions and butter on filet.

First filet:      Head -------- Tail

Second filet: Tail ------- Head

This will ensure  even cooking.

Optional: layer thin  Carrot &  celery sticks with onions on aluminum foil and then on top second filet.

Wrap aluminum foil in to packet ( bring the two sides, the length of the fish together fold over as many times as necessary to seal in the filets, take each end and fold over , sealing each end. Like folding over the top of a brown paper bag)

Place packet seam side down on hot grill for 15 to 20 minutes , turn packet over to grill other side . Open packet after 10 to 15 minutes to see if fish is done.

You can do the same thing in the oven, just need to use one piece of aluminum, put the packet in a roasting pan folded side up and bake for 20 -30 minutes, no need to turn over packet.

Jan Koneczny     Mrs.ladykdk@yahoo.com