New England Fish Chowder

This is fish chowder, not a real clam chowder.  Still, it's hearty and delicious.  It takes a bit of time to make but it's worth it.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium-large onion cut into chunks
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use non-alcoholic Fre brand wine)
4 medium carrots pealed and sliced thick
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. clam juice
1 6.5 oz can chopped clams in clam juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika (or to taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (go easy)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs cod (or other firm white fish) fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp parsley

In a large stock pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add the wine, increase the temperature and cook for ten minutes uncovered.

Add the potatoes, carrots, clam juice, chicken stock, can of clams (with juice) and spices (except the parsley).  If the liquid does not cover the potatoes, add enough water to just cover them.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes covered.

Just before the 15 minutes is up, heat the cream in a separate pot.  Do not boil the cream.  When the potatoes are cooked, add the fish and the heated cream.  Bring it to a simmer (not a boil) and cook for ten minutes.  If you substitute anything for the heavy cream, you have to watch it carefully to make sure it does not curdle.  The heavy cream is more tolerant of heat, so even if it boils it shouldn't curdle.  But you have to keep an eye on it.

Remove from heat and add the parsley.  Stir and let it sit, covered for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and serve.  You'll have enough for four people, if not more.  It's very filling and extremely delicious.

Bon appétit!

Beef Stew

This is a very basic recipe for beef stew.  It will give you all of the necessary ingredients but realize that you are free to experiment as your taste dictates.  If you think there are too many potatoes and not enough carrots, change the quantities.  If you like more celery, add more.  If you don't like celery, omit it.  Look through your spice rack and add any spices you desire.  This recipe should never be exactly the same each time you make it.  Keep changing it up!


To begin with, you will need the following:

Starting in the upper left corner we have shortening (you'll use one tablespoon), four carrots peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces, one pound of beef cut into one inch cubes (for this recipe, two pounds would have been better), three large potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size pieces, one stalk of celery (include the leaves) sliced thinly, one tablespoon parsley, one teaspoon basil, three tablespoons flour mixed with one teaspoon pepper and dusted with paprika, one onion cut into wedges.  In the center is one bay leaf.


One word on the meat.  In the market you can buy stewing beef which comes in a tray already cut up.  Don't buy this.  You don't have any way of knowing what the cut of meat is.  Mostly likely, it's just whatever was left over all chopped up and packaged.  Take the time to look through the beef section and see what they have.  I was able to find a five pound london broil on sale for $1.99 a pound that I cut up myself.  This way I get to remove all the fat before I cook it and I have leftovers for another meal.


Start with the meat.  Melt the shortening in a skillet.  Coat the meat with the flour mixture and cook in the shortening until the meat is browned on all sides, like this:

If your skillet is deep enough you can continue cooking in it.  If it's not, transfer the meat to your preferred cooking pot and continue.  Add three to four cups of water (depending on the size of your pot) and the spices.  Heat until the water comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer place the lid on and cook for one hour.  At the end of this time the meat should be cooked through and tender.

Add the vegetables.  If too much of them are out of the water you can add a little more water.  Replace the lid and cook an additional thirty minutes.  You will know the stew is done when the potatoes and carrots pierce easily with a fork.

The finished stew will look like this:

Bon appetit!